


Come With Me Now

by ColieLox



Series: Tom Riddle/Allura Malfoy [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-07 06:18:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 38,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12835086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColieLox/pseuds/ColieLox
Summary: “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” -Albus DumbledoreTom Marvolo Riddle, from undistinguished beginnings, spent his lifetime becoming the greatest dark wizard of all time. Allura Malfoy, from luxurious beginnings, spent most of her lifetime just trying to be at his side no matter the cost. This is the story of their journey, through Hogwarts and beyond.This is Part One of a Four Part Series:Come With Me Now: Part 1 of Allura and Tom’s storyThe Devil’s Courtship: Part 2 of Allura and Tom’s storyThe Devil Down Below: Part 3, Allura’s story after Tom’s deathSwing a Little More on the Devil’s Dance Floor: Epilogue of Allura and Tom’s story, after Allura’s deathDisclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. All characters, places, and details that you recognize came from the beautiful mind of JK Rowling. I just made up a few original characters, as well as the story line for this fan fiction. All credit goes to Ms. Rowling for creating such a great universe for us to play with and gain inspiration from!





	1. Chapter One: December 1942

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I've been working on this series for several months now and I've finally decided to start posting the first part. I've spent several years developing the story line for this work and I hope I do Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort justice, and I hope you all enjoy the story. Feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome! 
> 
> Just a few key points that I'd like to start you off with:
> 
> 1\. Abraxas Malfoy, as many of you know, is Draco Malfoy's grandfather. He is NOT an original character, and was mentioned by Draco in HBP. Since so little is known about him and his immediate family, I chose to use him as a starting point for the main characters that I did create. Allura, Antonius, and Lucinda, are all original characters but I did make a point to keep them "in character" as much as possible as members of the Malfoy family.
> 
> 2\. YES Allura is an underdeveloped "Mary Sue" for the time being, and NO she does not belong with Tom Riddle as she is right now. As a sheltered girl raised in the lap of luxury, she hasn't grown into the person she is to become later on. She's lived a life of privilege with little reason to have lost her childish/innocent mindset as of yet, much like Draco until HBP when he finally did grow up. Rest assured, our dear Tom will sort Allura out soon enough :-)
> 
> 3\. This series begins in December of 1942 and will end sometime after the "Cursed Child". This is meant to be Tom and Allura's story in it's entirety and will include their story all the way through the Harry Potter books. I love this story so much and Voldemort's backstory is so tightly woven with Potter's, so it only seemed right to include everything from the original series that I could. I broke everything up into four parts for the sake of making it easier for readers to keep track of the story. Part 1 is well over 100 pages in googledocs, and while I've written a good chunk of Part 2 already I haven't even put a dent in the overall story. If anyone is looking for a LONG story, that doesn't include short chapters, this is the series for you! Each chapter will cover one month in the story, though I might break up each month as needed. The first Chapter was over 5,000 words on its own, which seems like a heck of a lot. Let me know if that's too long and I'll be sure to break the chapters down more if that's what you all would prefer!
> 
> Happy Reading!

“One morning a young man  
Was walking his way  
When he saw a fair maid  
Come along the highway  
He said to this fair maid  
“If you do not mind  
I will walk with you  
On this fine morning.””  
-Come With Me Now by The High Kings

Chapter 1: December 1942

Grindelwald had slowly but surely gained substantial power over the years, thus striking fear in the hearts of every citizen of the wizarding world. The Second World War had been moving forward at full speed, and the life of an underage wizard among the muggle population had proven to be twice the terror. It seemed as though there would be no relief from either side of the war for half bloods and muggleborns. 

Tom Riddle had returned to Wool’s Orphanage for the Christmas holidays just the day before, only to find his already decrepit neighborhood destroyed beyond imagination. Apparently, air raids had been a favorite tactic of the Axis Powers while he had been away at school. Bomb sirens had been going off all day, yet there was nothing to be done except hope to not be killed. 

Unfortunately, Tom found that nearly every building in the area had been destroyed except for the hell hole that he had been born in. Even when he was a small child, Tom fantasized about the orphanage being burned to the ground with all of its muggle occupants trapped inside.

Images of a fire blazing out of control and the screams of his tormentors filled Tom’s imagination as he lay silently in his almost empty bedroom. Suddenly, a sharp knock at the front door echoed throughout the house. His nostrils flared in annoyance, though after a moment his curiosity was piqued by the sound of more than one set of feet creaking up the staircase. Tom glanced at the clock, seeing it was already half past midnight, and he wondered who would be visiting the orphanage at such an hour.

“Tom?” Mrs. Cole’s voice called out as she slowly opened his bedroom door.

“I’m awake.” He replied in a curt tone, hoping to get whatever this exchange was over with as soon as possible. Sleep had been evading him that night, due to the sirens constantly going off, and Tom felt no need to hide his irritation. He sat up with an indignant sigh, but his eyes grew wide with surprise when the old woman stepped into the room to reveal the man that accompanied her.

“Professor Slughorn! What brings you here?” Tom exclaimed, remembering to employ his best charms for the head of Slytherin.

“Surely you didn’t think we would allow you to remain in such a life threatening environment, my boy! I received news of the raids in London and came to collect you straight away. Best to pack your things quickly, now.” The corpulent and balding man answered with a sigh before turning back to Mrs. Cole.

“Thank you very much, Madam. As I said before I am sorry to intrude at such a late hour. I would have, of course, made this a less inconvenient visit if possible. One of our school governors was most disturbed to hear that one of our students was in harm’s way and demanded that I bring him back to school at once.” Slughorn explained to Mrs. Cole.

“Not at all, sir. We’ve been trying to relocate as many orphans as possible with very limited resources. I am just glad to know that another one of my charges will remain safe.” She replied with a knowing nod. It took only the time spent on the short exchange between the two adults for Tom to thrust his few possessions into his trunk.

“I am ready to leave when you are, sir.” Tom said politely as soon as Slughorn turned his attention back to the young man.

“Yes, well, thank you again, Madam. Tom and I will be on our way, then.” Slughorn said as he affectionately clapped Tom on the back before leading the way out of the building. Once the pair reached an isolated alleyway, Tom’s trunk disappeared with a casual flick of Slughorn’s wand.

“We’ll be apparating back, I’m afraid. It’s quite unpleasant the first few times and you may feel sick afterward, but I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” Slughorn explained as he held out his arm for Tom to take hold of.

Tom mentally braced himself, though he was still alarmed by the sensation of being sucked into a spinning tube as soon as he grasped Slughorn’s arm. Fortunately, the nauseating journey was over rather quickly.

“Steady, my boy.” Slughorn chuckled when Tom nearly fell over from dizziness upon their landing in Hogsmeade. It took him only a few seconds to regain his composure, although it took longer to escape the nausea. Together, the pair began the short walk from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. They walked in silence for a moment, until curiosity got the best of Tom.

“Sir, who exactly is this school governor you spoke of earlier?” Tom asked, guessing that whoever had insisted upon his return would be waiting for them at the castle.

“Ah, yes. Well, you know Abraxas and Allura, of course. Their mother, Lucinda, is a member of the school governor’s board. As you can imagine, she takes a special interest in the well-being of Slytherin students. Abraxas had told her where you were staying over the holiday and she stormed right into Headmaster Dippet’s office to ensure that the situation was corrected immediately. As your head of house, it seemed fitting that I went to get you out of there, and now here we are!” Slughorn elucidated with a grand gesture toward the now visible castle. 

The view of Hogwarts at night really was a majestic sight to behold. Soft, flickering lights shined through the hundreds of windows, making the glorious reflection of the castle visible on the glassy surface of the Black Lake. The sight filled Tom with warmth as he gazed up at the only place that ever felt like his home.

Quietly, Tom and Professor Slughorn quickly made their way through the castle to the headmaster’s office.

“Horace, darling! Thank you ever so much for rescuing our young Mr. Riddle.” A tall woman exclaimed, waving both arms in a grand gesture as she spoke, as if she were gushing over a brave warrior.

“Not at all, Madam Malfoy. You flatter me so by suggesting an act of heroism took place tonight.” Slughorn chuckled, nearly tickled pink by her words as he stepped aside to usher Tom further into the office.

As Tom entered the circular room, his curious gaze fell immediately upon Abraxas and Allura’s mother, Lucinda Malfoy. She looked like the very definition of vanity. Perfect, voluminous curls were pinned elegantly atop her head, and not a single blonde hair was out of place. Her skin was so fair toned and clear that she looked like a life-sized porcelain doll. Her pristine satin dress and fur-lined travel cloak, along with extravagant jewelry to complete the look, proved to be nothing short of flaunting her obvious wealth. 

“You look simply exhausted, sweetheart. And where on Earth is your winter cloak? You’ll catch your death outside dressed like that!” Mrs. Malfoy admonished as she looked Tom over. She clearly was not impressed or pleased by his tattered, old hand-me-downs, nor did she appreciate the indoor-style Slytherin cloak that was draped over his shoulders.

“I must say, Armando, I am quite displeased to find Slytherin’s most talented student wearing these rags. I should have received an owl right away if more funding is needed. And he has no attire that is appropriate for this frigid weather! Nothing to provide even a bit of warmth...and see there! The poor boy has a rather large hole on the side of his shoe where the stitching has come loose!” Lucinda exclaimed, pointing at Tom’s feet.

“Madam Malfoy, I can assure you that this has not happened due to negligence. Mr. Riddle is a fine young man that has always been determined to make his own way in the world.” Armando Dippet began to blubber, not wanting to flat out say that Tom refused charity as often as possible.

Tom wasn’t sure if he should be angry or pleased by the exchange. He thought it best to keep quiet for now and make up his mind about that later.

“Do you not agree that as a student, Mr. Riddle is unable to financially provide for himself?” Lucinda snapped, clearly outraged by the old man’s words.

“I...well, yes. Of course!” Dippet stuttered, a blush creeping across his face.

“Then you would also agree that top notch grades from a hard working student is more than fair in exchange for new clothing and school supplies each year.” She replied curtly, her logic irrefutable.

“Yes, Madam Malfoy. Your are right, of course. I don’t dare to suggest otherwise or make excuses.”

Normally, Tom would take issue with anyone making him sound so pathetic and helpless. However, he couldn’t deny the fact that he relished the power that Mrs. Malfoy clearly had over both Dippet and Slughorn. Beyond amused by how she was making his headmaster squirm, Tom decided to enjoy the show and forget how angry he would normally feel in such a situation. This clearly would prove to be quite beneficial to Tom, anyway. 

“Tom, I would be ever so pleased if you would accompany me back to Wiltshire and stay with my family for the remainder of the holidays. Abraxas speaks so highly of you, and I’ve just read over your school records. We would be honored to have such a bright young man join us and I can say with confidence that you will be far more well tended to in my house.” Lucinda said sweetly, turning her attention to the silent young man. 

Tom did his best to deliver a big enough smile, imitating someone who’s just been told that all of his hopes and dreams were about to come true. If he played his cards right, this situation would work perfectly to his advantage. He decided to take the act a step further and throw his arms around the woman unceremoniously, as though he couldn’t contain himself.

“Pathetic.” Tom thought to himself, hating to be held so closely as she returned his embrace will all the love and warmth she had to give. 

The pair arrived at Malfoy Manor by portkey just before 1:30 in the morning.

“Dobby!” Mrs. Malfoy called out as she removed her travel cloak in the entryway. With a soft popping sound, the tiniest of house elves appeared at her feet and bowed so low that his nose touched the floor.

“See to it that a proper meal is prepared for our guest at once. I expect a suite to be ready immediately afterwards.” The eloquent woman ordered, hanging her cloak on a hook in the long hallway. The elf squeaked out a quick “Yes, Missus.” and scurried away to do her bidding.

“I don’t dare ask what those horrendous muggles gave you to eat today, if you were fed at all. This way, dear.” She explained before leading Tom into the ornate sitting room so he could sit by the fire and warm up.

“Mother, is that you?” A soft voice called out from the hallway before it’s owner entered the room as well. A gorgeous blonde girl sauntered into the room, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she did so. Tom couldn’t help but let his eyes drink in the sight of her for a split second. Although everything was covered in an appropriate manner, the silk nightgown she wore hugged all of her curves deliciously. He had never seen her hair let down before, as it was “improper” to not wear it up in public. Now, her long curls cascaded freely down her back, greatly adding beauty to her already angelic appearance. Tom had never paid much attention to her before, aside from glancing her way on occasion.

“Oh, hello Tom. I wasn’t aware that you would be joining us but I’m glad to see you, just the same.” Allura Malfoy greeted when she realized that the boy was seated in the armchair across from her mother.

“Hello, Allura.” Tom replied politely just as Dobby popped into the room with a silver tray and placed it onto the tea table.

“Dobby has prepared a most hearty beef stew, served with cottage loaf. Does this please you, sir?” The young elf squeaked, once again bowing so low that his face was smashed against the floor.

“Yes, thank you.” Tom replied briefly, unsure of the proper etiquette between wizard and elf.

“Far too kind, sir! So very nice to allow Dobby to serve you!” The elf squealed with glee before kissing the floor near Tom’s feet, though he was careful to not actually touch the young man. Tom felt rather awkward, of course.

“Dobby pleased the young master! Dobby did good!” The elf yelled triumphantly as he ran back to the kitchen with both hands waving in the air.

“Please excuse his enthusiasm, Tom. Dobby has just turned three and is very excited to have started his training this past summer. Just give him a good kick if he’s ever pestering you.” Lucinda said nonchalantly with a dismissive wave of her hand, as though kicking servants was nothing out of the ordinary. She struggled to stifle a yawn.

“Of course, Mrs. Malfoy.” Tom replied with as soft of a smile as he could bare before slowly beginning to eat. Surely he would have been forgiven for ignoring his manners but Tom didn’t care to let on how famished he felt. It had been the first time a meal was available to him since he left Hogwarts to return to London.

“You’re tired, mother. I’ll stay with Tom so you can go to bed.” Allura offered, seeing as the woman wouldn’t dream of yawning in front of a guest like that, stifled attempt or not.

“Thank you, sweetheart. I do need to rest so I can prepare everything for the party tomorrow.” Lucinda said graciously as she stood up and made her way to the door. She paused for just a moment to give Tom’s arm an affectionate rub before she bid the teenagers good night and went to bed. 

Not too long after, Tom finished his second helping of stew. His stomach felt satiated for the first time in a few days.

“Would you like to see your room?” Allura asked as she made the silver tray vanish with a flick of her wand.

“Yes please.” Tom answered quietly, knowing he could very well get lost in such a large house. Allura nodded and waited for him to stand so she could lead the way. He followed the girl back into the entrance hall and up the grand staircase.

“I’ll be happy to give you a proper tour of the manor tomorrow, if you’d like.” She offered as she lead Tom down the long hallway on the left. 

“Oh…”She stopped suddenly after turning the lights on in the guest suite. Tom’s trunk was nowhere to be seen. “Stupid Dobby...he must have misplaced your things.”

“Actually, your mother rather insisted that I leave everything behind. She took great offense to my clothes being so worn out. Although, I quite enjoyed the tongue lashing she gave Dippet for that.” Tom replied with a cool chuckle. 

“She’s a piece of work, isn’t she?” Allura joked as she strolled to the suite’s adjoining bathroom, beckoning Tom to follow.

“You’ll find yourself very comfortable while you’re here, I’m sure.” Allura started as she began to retrieve hygiene products from the bathroom cabinet, placing them in an orderly fashion on the oversized counter next to the sink. “If you’d like to get ready for bed I’ll get some clothes for you from Abraxas’ room. He’s dead asleep, of course.”

“Thank you, Allura.” He replied as she exited the room, closing the door behind her.

As Tom brushed his teeth, he pondered his previous encounters with Allura at school. She never talked very much, obviously due to her preference for reading over gossiping with the other girls. He spent far more time with Abraxas and the other boys, so he couldn’t really say that he knew her much at all. He did know that she was very smart, after hearing Abraxas complain about how Allura’s grades always topped his. Perhaps Allura would prove to be more useful than he had previously considered. It had always been difficult to find someone so intelligent that wasn’t an incessant pest. There she had been all this time, silently under his nose for years. By the time he had finished washing up, Allura had already left a pair of pyjamas on the bed for Tom and retired to her room for the night. 

Tom had never slept so well in his entire life. The plush, king sized bed had proven to be the warmest and most comfortable piece of furniture he had ever encountered. If he had forgotten himself, Tom might have whistled merrily while using the toilet first thing that morning. After a hot shower, Tom slipped into the cobalt gray suit and black leather shoes Allura had left for him the previous night, noting how the colors made his cerulean eyes look so much brighter than usual. He didn’t particularly like wearing Abraxas’ clothes, but had no other choice if he was to look presentable. 

Shortly after 8:00, Tom exited his suite, finding Abraxas headed his way. 

“Good morning.” Abraxas greeted with a friendly nod. “Mother just sent me to bring you downstairs for breakfast.”

“Very well.” Tom replied before following his blonde companion down the long hallway. “She’ll be busy getting everything ready for the Christmas Eve party tonight. It’ll be boring but I thought you might like to start networking with ministry employees. You’ve expressed interest in making good connections to help carry out our future plans.” Abraxas explained conversationally. He knew all too well, as Tom’s most loyal supporter, that his counterpart intended to rule the wizarding world someday. Having the ministry in his pocket early on would certainly help the cause. 

“That does sound rather appealing. Isn’t your father an auror?” Tom inquired, his interest in the party now piqued.

“Head of the department. I heard mother talking to him earlier this morning about finding an apprenticeship at the ministry for you so you don’t have to stay with muggles on long breaks from school. I’d pick the auror department if I were you. There’s loads of dark magic you could learn about there.” Abraxas continued, lowering his voice substantially at the last part.

“Indeed…” Tom said with a cold smile, the possibilities beginning to dance through his mind. 

All conversation came to a halt very suddenly when Tom entered the dining room behind Abraxas. Truth be told, Allura couldn’t take her eyes off of Tom. She had noticed his good looks before, to be sure, but he looked stunning in the expensive suit she had picked out for him to wear.

“See here, Antonius! Proof of what I’ve been telling you all morning! This young man belongs in the elite wizarding circles. So very handsome, indeed!” Lucinda exclaimed with a huge smile.

“Well don’t go shrieking him deaf, Lucinda.” Mr. Malfoy chuckled. “Tom Riddle, I presume?” He added, extending his hand to the boy.

“Yes, sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Tom Greeted and shook the older man’s hand firmly with a charming smile. Despite the fact that his attention was on Mr. Malfoy, Tom was well aware that Allura was blatantly staring at him in awe. Tom had to fight back the urge to smirk at her.

“Close your mouth and stop that gawking, you stupid girl.” Lucinda scolded her daughter in a hushed tone. Tom pretended not to hear as he took a seat at the table. 

“Abraxas tells me that you’re the head of the auror department at the ministry. You must deal with quite a lot of excitement in your daily life, what with Grindelwald causing such a ruckus. I don’t know too much about him, although I suspect that he would have done exceptionally well in Slytherin had he attended Hogwarts in his younger days.” Tom started conversationally as he politely cut up his steak. He had never had a meal so grand as steak and eggs for breakfast, yet here he was. The meal was fit for a king and what’s more, he felt rather important due to the suit and “adult” conversation he just started with the richest family in the British wizarding world.

“That he would have, m’boy!” Antonius cackled, clearly feeling glee over the young man’s words. “I’ve been fortunate enough to help him a time or two, you know. He had great use for my connections over at MACUSA back in ‘26. Good man, that Grindelwald. Can’t understand why anyone with magical blood even thinks to oppose him.”

“I agree, sir. Why should we hide from muggles when we’re the ones with power? It makes no sense at all.” Tom replied before taking a bite of steak. “If you don’t mind my asking, Mr. Malfoy, is it true that the German muggle dictator is really Grindelwald in disguise? I’ve heard such rumors recently.” He asked shrewdly before taking another bite of his breakfast. Antonius roared with laughter.

“Oh, the cleverness of Grindelwald. No, it isn’t him in disguise, and he didn’t use the imperius curse either. Do you know, he duped that muggle bastard into believing that if he takes over the muggle world and eradicates “undesirable” populations he would be Grindelwald’s right-hand man! He even has the stupid oaf believing that he will be taught magic by Grindelwald himself once the deed is done.” Mr. Malfoy cackled again. Abraxas and Tom both roared with laughter alongside the older gentleman.

Lucinda and Allura both remained silent for the sake of acting like ladies, but Tom did not fail to notice the smirk that had escaped Allura’s plump lips as she chewed her eggs.


	2. Chapter Two: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, 1942

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I did end up editing the first chapter because it was HUGE so I split up. Hopefully that'll make it easier to keep up with the story one section at a time :-) "Come With Me Now" is already completed so expect new chapters to be posted regularly!

Chapter Two: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, 1942

“I would say you could imitate Abraxas during dinner, but we both know his table manners are deplorable. There will be quite a lot of silverware and dishes, but it really isn’t as confusing as it might look. I’ll be seated across from you, so if you’re not sure what to use just glance over and see what I’m doing. None of the other guests will even notice.” Allura said confidently as she knotted Tom’s bow tie for him. He hadn’t said he was nervous at all, but she had sensed that he felt uneasy about attending such an extravagant black tie event for the first time. 

Surprisingly, Tom was not annoyed by Allura’s assumption. He hadn’t even thought to scold her when she proceeded to snatch his tie from him before he could even attempt to make a fool of himself. 

“I’m sure you’ll manage just fine without my help, anyway.” She added before retrieving a silver pair of cufflinks from the dressing table. Madame Maulkin herself had been summoned to the manor to fit Tom with a brand new tuxedo and the appropriate accessories to go along with it for the party. Tom was lucky that Allura had started to help him after his pants and shirt were on. She really was an excellent hostess and never allowed the situation to turn to embarrassment for Tom, nor did he have to stoop low enough to be forced into asking anyone for help. Despite the fact that he was very far out of his comfort zone, Tom felt assured that he could fake his way through the party alongside the finest purebloods in Europe.

Allura was already well known at school for her beauty and intelligence, neither of which had ever particularly caught much of Tom’s interest. Since his arrival the night before, he had found her so much more intriguing.

“You seem so different outside of school. So much so that I’m starting to believe that you’re extremely uncomfortable at Hogwarts.” Tom said quietly, seeing an opportunity to begin luring the girl into his ranks.

“Oh...well, I suppose you’re right. You’ll learn about these things soon enough so I suppose I might as well explain things now. There are certain traditions that the elite purebloods always honor, including arranged marriages by way of unbreakable contracts.” Allura started before Tom cut her off.

“And you’re worried about who you’ll end up with.” He finished with a note of finality, having already figured out the rest for himself.

“Very much so.” She confirmed, before explaining further. “We’re supposed to be betrothed no later than graduation. After my sixteenth birthday my parents will make a contract if I haven’t found someone I like enough to marry willingly. Thus far I've had no such luck. I’m the only one left in our year that hasn’t chosen a husband yet. Unfortunately, there are plenty of boys left that are also looking and I’ve been pursued far more than I can stand, this year in particular.”

Tom remained silent for a few minutes, contemplating his next move. Before the teenagers could say anything more, Antonius entered the room.

“Ah, there you are! I have a gift for you, Tom. Just a little something to complete your ensemble.” The man said with excitement as he handed a long, skinny box to Tom. It was matte black with silver lettering across the top that read “Gregorovitch Zauberstabe”. Curious, Tom lifted the rectangular lid to reveal a cane made of black hawthorn. The ornate, silver handle formed the shape of a viper’s head exposing long fangs. The piece was completed with emeralds for eyes.

“Mr. Malfoy, it’s perfect. Thank you ever so much.” Tom gushed, being sure to portray himself as an awestruck orphan. Thus far that act had served him well.

“If you pull out the handle, you’ll see where to place your wand. A gentleman always keeps his wand out of sight at parties, but a smart gentleman does so with his wand in his hand the whole damn time.” Antonius explained with a chuckle. The older man winked at Tom before leaving again to finish getting ready for the party.

“Well, they’ll certainly know you’re in a favorable position with our family. Gregorovitch only makes those on special orders for my father.” Allura explained as she watched Tom slip his wand into the handle.

“It’s funny...before I was just a nobody at a muggle orphanage outside of school. But now...it’s like a dream.” Tom said quietly, for once not bothering to hide his astonishment in the presence of another. Such a luxurious and exclusive gift was given to him by someone that was damn near to being a complete stranger.

“Well, mother adores you, of course. You know how tricky it is to find a true friend in Slytherin and Abraxas has always spoken so fondly of you when telling our parents about school. Father’s opinion has always easily been swayed by mother. They were fortunate enough to be together before a marriage contract had to be forced, you know. Anyway, mother has clearly decided that despite the fact that you aren’t a Malfoy, you’re one of us now, and father is happy to agree with her on that. He was tickled pink by the conversation you two had at breakfast so I’d say you won him over and he didn’t need any persuasion on the matter.” Allura explained as the pair exited Tom’s suite.

“Thank you, Allura.” Tom whispered, genuinely taken aback by everything that had transpired since his arrival at Malfoy Manor. Normally, such kindness would have made Tom feel rather put out. But no one in their house was just being kind for the sake of charity or because they felt sorry for him. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy very clearly saw exactly who Tom was. His upbringing had no merit whatsoever when considering his talents and accomplishments. Tom was going to grow up to be someone important, determined to surpass even the greatest standards. Without knowing anything whatsoever of his future plans, the Malfoys saw the potential in Tom and thereby treated him like an equal to their own flesh and blood.

Caught up in his own thoughts, Tom hadn’t noticed that Allura had slipped into her bedroom to change into her gown and had already returned.

“I hate to bother you with it at all but could you zip up the back of my dress please, Tom?” Allura asked, thus snapping Tom’s mind back to the present moment.

“Of course.” He replied politely as she turned around so he could reach the zipper.

Dinner went exceptionally well, and Tom was feeling rather optimistic about the connections he had made with the few people seated close enough at the table for conversation. Although the minister of magic himself had been unable to attend the party, Tom did get a chance to speak with his wife, Eleanor, for a few minutes. After the final course was finished the table magically cleared itself. As everyone made their way from the dining hall and into the ballroom, Tom did not fail to notice that a few teenaged boys were beginning to crowd Allura, fighting each other for her attention. Always the one to act like a lady, there was nothing Allura could do about her discomfort without seeming rude. She had already resolved to keep her mouth shut and bare it. Reginaldus Parkinson, a sixth year Slytherin, seemed particularly overbearing from what Tom could see from the other side of the crowd.

“Oi, Tom!” Abraxas called out, waving his friend over to join the group he had been chatting with. Allura would simply have to fend for herself tonight if Tom was to continue networking with the elite.

“This is Tom Riddle, fifth year prefect of Slytherin. Mark my words, he’ll be the minister of magic someday.” Abraxas said with a grand gesture as he made Tom’s introduction.

“It’s a pleasure.” Tom replied politely, not recognizing anyone in the group.

“Tom, this is Ivan, Boris, Stefan, Vladimir, and Andre. All sixth year students at Durmstrang.” Abraxas continued, pointing out each person to Tom.

“I hear the dark arts classes at Durmstrang are rather interesting. Would you gentlemen agree?” Tom asked, having already been familiar with the school’s reputation. 

“Of course. Although, we are not permitted to discuss that subject with students from other schools.” The dark haired boy called Andre replied.

“Although, we can pass along our old textbooks if the compensation is worth the risk.” Vladimir chided in quietly, his voice lowered so that no one outside of the group could overhear.

“I see. Well, as it happens, I spend quite a lot of time reading and always enjoy the opportunity to get ahold of recommendations from a friend.” Tom replied smoothly, accepting the offer without discussing the contraband in question any further. “Abraxas shall collect your contributions to my studies.” Tom finished, knowing that his most loyal follower would indeed handle this business transaction on his behalf. Tom never got his own hands dirty.

“Very well. And you will remember our friendship should you achieve your goals, no?” Vladimir replied, quite clearly aware of the future Tom intended to have. These goons wanted his favor if Tom did pull off taking over the wizarding world.

“Of course, gentlemen. I’ll see to it that all of you get exactly what you deserve in return.” There was a menacing undertone to his words that the Bulgarian’s clearly missed. Suddenly, a small shriek escaped Allura’s lips, and she looked rather embarrassed when Tom and Abraxas looked in her direction to see what was going on.

“If you’ll excuse me, it appears that my sister is in need of assistance.” Abraxas said with a bow before going to aid Allura.

“That Goyle boy always has to give her ass a good pinch once he’s had a bit of brandy, the poor thing. Can’t say that I wouldn’t like to get my hands on Allura myself, though.” Stefan joked, not having spoken before. His school mates chuckled along with him in agreement.

“She should be spoken of and treated like the lady she is. Perhaps I have no use for you lot after all, if none of you can refrain from speaking inappropriately to the wrong people.” Tom threatened with a death glare at Vladimir, who was clearly the leader of their little group.

“Hey, we meant no harm…” Stefan stuttered, trying to explain away his crude remarks about Allura. Not caring to grace the other boys with his presence any longer, Tom walked away as though he had never even acknowledged them to begin with.

It was nearly midnight before all the party guests left for home. Allura had an easier time after Abraxas joined her, so things never went far enough for Tom to bother stepping in. He had been free to forge new relationships with many purebloods, and he had accomplished his mission for the night. Several ministry officials had offered Tom internships, so he would have top notch accommodations on breaks from school. As Tom climbed under the fur-lined comforter of his king sized bed, his thoughts turned to Allura. Despite the fact that he hadn’t bothered to rescue her himself, Tom resolved to punish Goyle accordingly for his mistreatment of her once they were all back at school.

Aside from finding Allura useful, he had no feelings for the girl. However, a lack of feelings did not give Tom reason to endure someone else touching his things.

When Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy had been able to do so much Christmas shopping for him, Tom couldn’t figure out. On the morning of December 25th, Tom made his way to the parlour only to find that he had just as many gifts as the twins. Aside from a new wardrobe and supplies for school (which didn’t really count, according to Lucinda), Tom was given a very generous sack of gold for Hogsmeade trips, several new books, a new trunk with his initials engraved on the side complete with an undetectable extension charm, a black leather diary with his name engraved onto the cover, and a white gold wrist watch.

Tom spend most of Christmas day lounging in the library and reading over his new books, making notes in his new diary of things he wanted to do further research on. The Malfoy’s library was rather extensive, but he did have a hard time finding information on certain details of dark spells and objects. Tom suspected that all of the books of that nature were hidden away in Antonius’ private library. Perhaps he could gain access to that collection of information over the summer holiday. While Tom had no plans to become an auror, he had decided to accept an internship in Antonius’ office. The dueling training as well as the required education on the dark arts and how to counter the dark arts would be priceless when it came to his desire to rule the wizarding world. He would also live with the Malfoys under that post during all breaks from school, so Wool’s Orphanage was officially a place of the past to Tom, never to be seen again. 

He also really did need to verify his lineage. Over the past few days, Tom had begun to realize that being part of the pureblood elite meant so much more than being rich. It was a means to solidify social standing and gain the respect of the most powerful and influential wizards. Tom had to establish a solid foundation in this social circle to achieve his goals. If he didn’t like his lineage, he would simply fabricate a more appealing story that was believable. With his charm and talents, it wasn’t likely that Tom would be questioned too much about his ancestors. At worst he would have to claim halfblood heritage, which would only ban him from certain pureblood traditions that didn’t actually mean anything to him to begin with. Allura seemed to be well versed in pureblood history as well as halfblood history, so she would prove to be most useful if he did end up needing to lie about his heritage. Abraxas could also help with that if needed. 

While Abraxas considered Tom to be his best friend, Tom didn’t honestly share the same feelings. Tom was fond of him to an extend and found Abraxas useful, so Tom considered his companion to be more like his favorite servant. Allura was also well on her way to establishing a favorable position in his small circle. Antonius and Lucinda were also very helpful in multiple capacities thus far, so it only made sense to Tom that he would take the house of Malfoy straight to the top with him. He could humor their feelings of Tom being part of the family. It was certainly wise to further endear them to him at this point, whether he returned their affections or not.


	3. Chapter Three: New Year's Eve, 1942

Chapter Three: New Year’s Eve, 1942

Allura had taken to joining Tom in the library each night once Lucinda, Antonius, and Abraxas were ready to retire for the night. Surprisingly enough, her presence did nothing to agitate Tom. She remained silent, for the most part, and stuck to doing her own reading. Tom greatly appreciated her for that. On the rare occasion that Tom needed help finding a book with certain information, she pulled the correct volume off the shelf seconds later. She had obviously read all of the books in the family’s library multiple times. On one such night, Tom decided to give Allura more of an important role to test whether or not she was worthy of joining his cause.

“Allura.” Tom called from the far off shelves. She stood from the chaise she had been lounging on in her nightgown and sauntered over to where he stood, perusing the history section.

“I’m looking for something in particular, but I wouldn’t care for the contents of my research to be shared with anyone else. I’m also afraid I’ll require your attention to be on this rather than your own reading until I find the answers that I need. Are you agreeable to this arrangement?” Tom asked carefully, not wanting to divulge too much just in case she didn’t comply with his wishes.

“Sure.” She replied with a shrug. “What is it that you want to know?”

“I wish to uncover the truth behind my ancestry. I’ll explain in further detail why that is once I know for certain that you are trustworthy without any shadow of a doubt.” Tom clarified, letting her know up front that he was testing her. Allura replied with a sigh, as though her intelligence was being insulted.

“So you are in a good situation and want to find out if you’re connected to any families that will elevate your social standing. But you don’t want any unfavorable information that we could possibly find to get out, yes?” Allura asked, as though the answer had been obvious the whole time. 

“I...well, yes. That is correct. You may be too smart for your own good, you know.” Tom replied with a smirk. He portrayed himself with confidence but Allura could still see the surprise in his eyes.

“Very well, Tom. I’m sure we can find what you’re looking for if we have a starting point. What do you know of your parents?” She asked, curious to find out his lineage as well. She retrieved some parchment and a quill from the nearby desk.

“Not very much, unfortunately. My mother died giving birth to me in the muggle orphanage at age nineteen. She never gave anyone her name. I know nothing of my father, aside from being named after him. I’ve never located any record of anyone named Riddle in the school archives.”

“Hm...I don’t know of any Riddle family...what’s your birth date? We may have to find your mother based on when she died. I can guarantee that it’s most likely that you’re a halfblood...your father a muggle and your mother a witch...you couldn’t possibly be a muggleborn if you’re in Slytherin.” Allura mused as she finished jotting some things down onto the parchment.

“December 31, 1926.” Tom replied curtly, perturbed at the thought of having muggle blood at all.

“Oh…” Allura seemed surprised and looked over at the clock, which read 12:03, now December 31st. “Happy birthday, Tom.”

“I don’t care to acknowledge by birthday.” He snapped before remembering his manners and turning his facade back on. “Sorry...I’m sure you can understand why I am a bit short tempered about the date my mother left me…” He explained softly, deciding that a gentler approach would work best with the girl for now.

“Yes, of course. I was being stupid for not realizing that it might upset you before the words left my mouth. Anyway, we can start with this.” Allura said as she removed the Malfoy’s copy of the Pureblood Directory, given to Antonius by Cantankerous Nott himself. “Have you heard of the Sacred Twenty Eight?”

“No, I haven’t.” Tom replied shortly, irritated that he had no clue what she was referring to.

“According to the author of this book, there are only twenty eight families left in Britain that are truly purebloods. At least as of around ten years ago, anyway. Families labeled as “blood traitors” are not included, and half bloods aren’t mentioned either.” Allura explained, flipping to the table of contents to show him the list of surnames.

“I can eliminate a good number of names on the list right now, so just take down the names that I give you.” She continued, passing Tom the quill.

“Fawley, Gaunt, and Travers. Those are the only families that I cannot confirm that you aren’t related to somehow…” She started, pausing for a moment before continuing. “Yes...I can account for recent generations of the other families off the list. If your mother was a pureblood from Britain it has to be one of those three families. We also have to consider that your family may not even be British.”

“That could be so...my mother easily could have just been travelling, I suppose. My middle name is Marvolo if that could be a possible clue…” Tom replied, racking his brain for any small details that could be important.

“If that’s a pureblood tradition at hand your middle name came from your maternal grandfather. Given your talent with magic I can’t imagine that you aren’t at least distantly related to a pureblood family.” The wheels in Allura’s head were blazing forth as she flipped through the book.

“Allura, I’m tired and we can work on this some more tomorrow. Would you be so kind as to read to me for a little while?” Tom asked despite the fact that he wasn’t really asking at all. 

“Of course, Tom.” She replied obediently.

“Nothing too interesting, please. I’d like to relax more and think less for now.” Tom sighed as he plopped into a leather armchair.

Allura retrieved the Tales of Beedle the Bard and called Dobby to prepare tea for her companion. With a flick of her wand the book floated steadily in front of her, the pages turning themselves when needed. He really did look exhausted but it did seem as though sleep would evade Tom at least a little longer.

By the time she had sat down, Dobby had returned with a tray of tea and bid the pair a good night. Tom seemed to quite like her sitting obediently at his feet as she read in a soft tone, just as she suspected he would. He rather enjoyed her subservient position so much that he even allowed Allura to rest her head against his leg while she read out loud.

“I could get used to such an enjoyable servant.” Tom mused to himself as he sipped the last of his tea. Tom had never heard any of the stories from the Tales of Beedle the Bard. Allura was reading The Fountain of Fair Fortune as he drifted off to sleep. 

In the dream, Tom had embarked on a quest for the Fountain of Fair Fortune. He had read that bathing in the fountain would grant him “Fair fortune forevermore”, and he had decided that his unfortunate childhood was bad enough to deem himself worthy of the magic of the water. Finding its location had been easy enough, once he had obtained the right book to put together the puzzle. He was not afraid when vines wrapped themselves around his body, thus pulling Tom through the wall that kept the garden that was home to the fountain hidden from view.

As Tom set out to explore the garden, a gigantic worm appeared and demanded proof of the boy’s pain. The worm was blind, and Tom deemed him an easy target to get past. Tom had no objects to offer, and the young man sent hex after hex at the creature in order to defeat him so he could pass. The sickly pale worm only cackled with glee at Tom’s attempts, and the boy quickly became frustrated when not even the killing curse could get him what he wanted.

“You’ll have to do better than that, boy. Only proof of your pain will allow you to get past me. Your magic is useless here.” The worm roared with laughter.

In a most out of character fashion, as we all can be prone to in dreams, Tom unceremoniously threw himself onto the ground to weep, wallowing in his own defeat.

“Your tears of pain have satisfied me, boy. You may pass.” The worm stated without feeling as it began to crawl away. “You would do well to remember not to rely on your magic as you continue on your quest. As I said before, your magic will not work in this place. If you cannot prove your own worth without it, then you will never reach the fountain.” The worm called back as Tom arose and made his way past the clearing.

It proved easy to figure out what Tom must do when he reached a steep slope and was asked to pay the “fruit of his labors”. Tom stored his wand in his back pocket and began to climb the great hill. He made no progress until his brow began to drip with sweat. With the “fruit of his labor” paid, he was now able to climb higher and higher up the hill. As he reached the top, Tom felt triumph. His hard work had paid off.

The final obstacle Tom reached was a stream that had to be given a treasure of his past in order to be allowed to cross. After hours of trying to figure out what he must sacrifice, Tom had a sudden realization. His only treasure was his magic...he had no memories of loved ones or anything else of value to offer. Suddenly, Allura appeared on the other side of the stream.

“It wants your wand, Tom. If you give up your power the stream will be satisfied.” The girl explained. She did not look like herself, but rather appeared to look like a real angel. Wild flowers were braided elegantly into the thick braid that hung over her shoulder, and white, feathered wings stretched out of her back. She was surrounded by light from the heavens, making her loving and innocent nature more visually prominent.

“I cannot.” He said finally after giving the task at hand much thought.

“The waters of the fountain do not hold any magic, but that does not mean that you will not find fair fortune on this side. Give up your greed for power and you may cross. I can give you everything you truly need to live a prosperous life over here.” Allura pleaded, as though she already knew what his future would hold if he did not accept her.

“Do not make the mistake of believing that love is more useful to me than power, Allura.” Tom retorted as he began to turn back to go the way he had come. If there was no magic in the fountain then it was useless to pursue it.

“Your inability to love and your greed for power will be your downfall, Tom Riddle.” Allura called after him before flying away to the fountain, wailing with grief as she did so. Suddenly, the worm returned and started to eat away at Tom’s body, tearing him apart limb from limb.

Tom awoke with a start and looked around, verifying his whereabouts. He was still seated in the arm chair with Allura reading at his feet.

“So you see, the story is really about the qualities one needs to achieve the heart’s deepest desires. It is also metaphorically explained that magic and power as we see it are not necessarily the right tools needed to achieve greatness.” Allura had just finished explaining the story, not realizing that Tom had dozed off at all. Without responding, Tom left the room to go to bed. Her words, along with the dream, had thoroughly shaken the young man. What started out as a happy birthday had turned very sour indeed.


	4. Chapter Four: January 1943 (Part One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are again with another chapter! Feedback/comments/constructive criticism is always welcome, so please feel free to let me know what you think (even if you hate it LOL). Enjoy :-)

On the train back to Hogwarts, Tom was growing very annoyed indeed. He was seated in a compartment with a group of Slytherin boys that were all in the sixth year. While Tom read, the others chatted about their marriage plans. Reginaldus Parkinson was dominating most of the conversation, of course. Tom hadn’t bothered to listen to the others talk about girls until Parkinson brought up Allura.

“Personally, I intend to be matched with Allura. I highly doubt she would turn me down considering my family’s wealth.” The dark haired boy bragged. 

“You're barking mad, Reg. She doesn’t even like you.” Nott guffawed, amused by Parkinson’s cocky attitude.

“She doesn’t know me well enough to say one way or the other! She knows damn well that bloodlines and money are exactly what her parents will be looking for in a prospective husband if she doesn’t choose someone in time. I’m the only one of appropriate age that can match her dowry.” Parkinson snapped.

“It’s not like she’s eager to find her own husband anyways. You lot see how she is...always hiding in the corner with some idiotic book. She’s holding out for someone more like her and it just isn’t going to happen. She’s too odd and antisocial, so it’ll be up to a forced contract to marry her off and I’m the obvious choice.”

“That is true...and she’s the only girl that thinks being intelligent and opinionated will serve her well. A wife’s duty is to host parties, raise children, and put out for her husband whenever he likes.” Goyle said matter of factly in agreement with Parkinson. 

Their words were beginning to anger Tom. How dare they suggest that someone with a strong mind wasn’t a prize to be won?

“I, for one, find her sharp wits and socially independent nature rather refreshing. Most girls are overly emotional and just down right needy, to the point of exhaustion. I daresay she’d rather die than marry an idiot like you, Parkinson. Now, have you lot finished disturbing my reading?” Tom chastised, glaring daggers at the group. His eyes somehow flashed a rend tint as he gazed wickedly at Parkinson and Goyle in particular. Before anyone could answer, Tom elegantly swept out into the hallway. He needed some air and it had been so stuffy in the carriage. Tom set out to find Abraxas, knowing that his compartment would be far less crowded.

“Oh, hello Tom. Care for some sweets?” Abraxas asked and held out a chocolate frog as Tom slid the door shut behind him with a click. 

“No, I would not care for any sweets.” Tom replied curtly as he sat down. He was very clearly still agitated over how vile the other boys were, especially regarding the way they spoke about Allura. It was idiots like them that encouraged girls to behave in such a stupid manner.

“What’s happened? You look to be in a downright foul mood.” Abraxas asked cautiously, knowing Tom’s poor temper all too well.

“Parkinson and his gang of neanderthals interrupted my studies. Talking nonsense about girls.” Tom answered in an icy tone. “On that note, you would do well to keep an eye on your sister, especially around those dunderheads.”

“Oh, I’m not so worried about Allura. She may not look like much but she can take care of herself. Father saw to it that we both learned to duel when we started school." Abraxas answered, waving his hand dismissively.

“If you say so. Anyway, I require more support. You have served me well and I wish for Allura to join us. I have not decided on anyone else in particular but you may recruit as you see fit. We both know that I don’t care for the social aspect of gaining followers.” Tom explained conversationally, his tone and demeanor switching to “business now, chat later”.

“Why Allura? Mother and father would have a fit if they found out she was getting involved in something as dangerous as dark magic, Tom. It’s one thing for us to do it for the sake of starting a revolution because we are men but this really isn’t women’s work.” Abraxas started to explain before Tom cut him off.

“I do not intend to send her out to fight when the time comes, you idiot. She has a sharp mind, and I expect the majority of the people fighting for me will be all brawn. Don’t you think she would be a most valuable asset when it comes to gathering information discretely and coming up with foolproof strategies?” Tom snapped, clearly annoyed that Abraxas had not already figured out why he wanted the other boy’s twin to get involved. Tom couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“I have already put her up to a research project for me and I suspect she will find answers much faster than anyone else. We both know that my lineage must be discovered and a story fabricated if the results will not serve everything we are trying to accomplish. I believe she can handle the situation either way with no more than simple instructions from me. Therefore, I am free to work on more important tasks if she is on our side, Abraxas.”

“I suppose you’re right...so long as she doesn’t get into any trouble…” Abraxas agreed, although he sounded quite hesitant.

“It’s settled, then. You will retrieve Allura and bring her here so I may discuss our cause with her. With you as my second in command and your sister working behind the scenes we will accomplish taking over after Grindelwald has failed.” Tom said resolutely.

“Right now?” Abraxas asked with raised eyebrows.

“Yes, right now. I am not in the mood to dawdle or deal with you questioning me, Abraxas.” Tom snapped, and gestured for his counterpart to go find Allura. Abraxas obeyed, although his mood had soured slightly since the beginning of the conversation.

“Thank you, Abraxas. You may go. I wish to speak privately with your sister.” Tom ordered, much to Abraxas’ dismay, once the boy had brought his sister into the compartment. Reluctantly, Abraxas left the pair to speak alone. Allura seemed unsure as to what was going on, but she she sat down across from Tom nonetheless.

“Hello, Tom.” The blonde girl greeted politely. Tom wasn’t feeling patient enough to entertain useless niceties at the moment, so he simply ignored her greeting. He had business to attend to, after all.

“You recall that I had asked you to assist me with research on information pertaining to my family’s history, of course.” Tom said in a curt tone as he inspected her from the adjacent bench.

“You must be patient, Tom. I’ve already gone through the library at home and you’ve checked all of the records at Hogwarts…” She began to explain, thinking that he was anxious for answers. Tom held up his hand to silence her.

“I was not finished, Allura. Do not interrupt, it's rude. I do not intend to pester you about finding information that is difficult to obtain, for the time being. I only brought it up because we must discuss what is to happen after you have found what I’m looking for, which would lead to why I had Abraxas bring you to me before we arrive back at school.” Tom explained in a flat tone, careful not to let his nervousness show. What if she rejected him and refused to work for his cause?

“I did already agree to keep silent about it in the event that your are unhappy with your lineage.” She replied, clearly having no clue as to what he was getting at.

“I will require your assistance in fabricating a believable story if that is the case. I must be credible if I am to step into power once Grindelwald has failed to set things right in our world, which he most certainly will because he does not have the brain power that I have. He's become very sloppy in his conquest over the years as he's gotten older, and I predict that he shall be defeated sometime within the next five years. I should like for you to join the cause by assisting me with other research projects and as a behind-the-scenes strategist as well.” Tom had finally let the cat out of the bag, and he did his best not to wait on baited breath for her response. He could see the wheels turning in her head, mulling over his suggestion that he intended to be the next "Grindelwald".

“I suppose I could help you with such a fabrication of your ancestry but...I don’t know about the rest, Tom. I’m certain that you realize how crazy it sounds to suggest that you intend to take Grindelwald’s place in the future. I will take your plans into consideration but I cannot promise to be of any further help with your...endeavors. Frankly, if you demand an answer right now, I’ll have to respectfully decline. My involvement in such antics seems unwise and I fail to see what would be in it for me at this point.” Allura finally answered as she folded her hands neatly in her lap.

So that was it, then. Tom would either have to accept a slow yes or a fast no from the girl.

“I see that you intend to test my patience. No matter. By all means, take the time you need to make your decision. I suspect that you would come to regret declining too quickly.” Tom said quietly, the slightest hint of a threat lying beneath his words. Allura, however, did not seem to notice his warning.

“Very well. I’ll notify you in the event that I decide to accept your...invitation.” Allura answered elegantly before excusing herself from the compartment. Once the door slid shut behind her, Tom began to contemplate how he would persuade her to submit to his wishes.

After the feast, students made their way back to the common rooms. Tom had been rather annoyed at Parkinson for his relentless flirting with Allura at dinner. He did, however, enjoy the fact that Allura very clearly did not like his advances. The walk down to the dungeons wasn’t all that much better for her.

“Come on, love. We’ll have a nice time and I’ve been asking you to go to Hogsmeade with me for ages.” Parkinson said for the thousandth time as he wrapped his arm around Allura's waist.

“Please let go of me, Reginaldus.” Allura complained as she attempted to wriggle out of the much taller boy’s embrace.

“I will if you agree to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend.” Parkinson implored, clearly not having any plans to release the girl until he got his date.

Unfortunately for Allura, she was unable to get her wand out of her pocket due to Parkinson’s arm wrapped firmly around her. Fortunately for Tom, this would clearly be an ongoing situation that could be used to his own advantage.

Tom simply took hold of the other boy’s wrist from behind, and before anyone could blink he had twisted Parkinson’s arm behind his back, thus freeing Allura. Parkinson winced from having his arm forced backwards into such a painful position.

“You seem to have forgotten your manners, Parkinson.” Tom growled in the boy’s ear. It was unlike Tom to resort to physical attacks, but he had made a split second decision to come off like he had properly “snapped” over how uncomfortable Parkinson was making Allura.

“Oi! Get your hands off me, Riddle.” Parkinson retorted as he attempted to squirm out of Tom’s tight grip, although there wasn’t much he could do without causing himself more pain.

“Oh, you don’t like someone putting his hands on you against your will? That’s odd...I was under the impression that you considered that sort of thing acceptable based on how I saw you treating a lady just now.” Tom replied venomously, twisting the older boy’s arm even further backwards.

“Ouch! Alright, point taken. Now release me!” Parkinson pleaded, clearly ready to cry out for mercy.

“You’ll not grab her like that again, Parkinson. Have I made myself clear?”

Before anything else could happen, Slughorn made his way through the congested hallway to see what the hold up was.

“I will not have students fighting in my dungeons!” Slughorn scolded as he pulled Parkinson’s arm out of Tom’s grip, breaking the two apart.

“I wish to see the both of you in my office at once!” Slughorn demanded, indicating that both boys should follow him. Allura had remained silent throughout the whole ordeal, but had finally snapped out of her own shock from Tom’s actions.

“If you please, professor, I should tell you that Reginaldus wouldn’t let go of me until Tom stepped in.”

“I see. Well, I’m afraid I cannot condone such violence, justified or not. It sounds as though neither of you behaved appropriately. Therefore, I’ll see you both in detention tonight.” Slughorn insisted as he shook his finger at both of the young men.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I really must protest. As a prefect, Tom is permitted to use reasonable force to protect students. I was unable to defend myself so Tom stepped in. I think we both know a lot more damage would have been done if wands were used and Tom was thereby correct to physically restrain Reginaldus instead. Do you not agree that a prefect carrying out his duty does not deserve to be punished for it?” Allura cried out, explaining in great detail why she thought the whole situation was completely unfair.

“Well, boys. There’s no debate over who her mother is, is there? Alright then, Allura, you win.” Slughorn sighed in defeat. “Follow me Reginaldus.”

As Slughorn and Parkinson walked away, Tom turned to Allura.

“Why did you do that, you stupid girl? I don’t have any worries about serving detention with Slughorn and now you’ve made this situation with Parkinson worse for yourself and in doing so you’ve caused more trouble for me.” Tom scolded through gritted teeth.

“I defended you same as you did for me, Tom. I fail to see how it’s ok for you to look after me but it’s wrong for me to return the favor. I prefer not to be indebted to anyone so you’d best get over it right now.” Allura snapped right back, her temper beginning to flare up a bit. 

Tom knew he would need to choose his words wisely for the situation to turn out in his favor. He couldn’t hope to persuade Allura to join him in his endeavors if she was angry. “Perhaps a little sweet talk would help.” Tom thought to himself as he turned into an empty classroom, indicating that Allura should follow. Neither one spoke a word until the door closed behind them. Once they were alone, Tom deliberately softened.

“You don’t honestly think that I would hold something like that over your head, do you?” Tom asked quietly, trying to sound as though her assertion that she didn’t want to be indebted to him had truly hurt his feelings. He even made a point to look down in defeat.

“I suppose I don’t have any cause to lump you in with the other boys in regard to that sentiment.” Allura replied carefully, having been caught off guard by the fact that it looked like Tom had let down a major wall now that they were speaking in private.

“I do not expect any sort of compensation when I feel the need to look after you, Allura. I would be lying if I said that I do not care about your well being. We are friends, after all, aren’t we? I honestly couldn’t help myself when Parkinson put his hands on you like that. Even if I didn’t care, your parents would be horrified if a prefect or anyone else in a position of authority allowed someone to mistreat you so.” Tom explained further, moving as though he wanted to take Allura’s hand but changed his mind at the last moment. 

Allura didn’t know how to respond, so she simply nodded and took hold of Tom’s arm to walk back to the common room together. At least for now, the pair felt like they had reached an understanding. Allura felt more secure about Tom really being her friend, although she did suspect that he might harbor deeper feelings for her. She didn’t think it was a good time to pressure him about it, and decided to leave it be until he decided to divulge those feelings on his own, if Tom even had such feelings for her to begin with. Both seemed content walking arm-in-arm deeper into the dungeons.

“I was planning to visit the bookshop in Hogsmeade to try and find more information on the research you asked me to help you with. Would you care to join me?” Allura asked casually without divulging the task he had given her in case someone overheard them talking.

“Might as well. I had intended to pop into Tomes and Scrolls myself. We could meet in Brews and Stews for a bite to eat at noon and go book shopping after. I suspect that Parkinson is less likely to harass you if we stick together.”

“That sounds nice. Do you mind going to Honeydukes afterward if we have enough time before curfew?” Allura asked as the pair reached the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.

“Alright.” Tom answered with a shrug, releasing his own arm from Allura’s before saying the password and walking through the door that appeared.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast, then. I’d best get to bed before Parkinson gets back from detention.” Allura said quietly, bidding Tom a good night before entering the girl’s dormitory. 

***

It was becoming rather common for Allura to take over Tom’s dreams. That night, Tom awoke with a start around three in the morning. Dripping with sweat, Tom tried to remember what had happened in the dream.

It was sometime in the distant future, inside the large dining room at Malfoy Manor. Tom watched the scene unfold before his eyes, as though he was present but hidden out of sight in the shadows.

Although she was exquisite as ever, Allura looked drastically different. It was apparent that the sweet young girl he once knew was long gone. Over the years, she had been twisted up into an entirely different person altogether. Her unrestrained curls were wild and untamed, left to cascade deliciously down her back. Her tight, black silk gown had a rather deep neckline, and was cinched at the waist by a corset. A large tattoo of a snake slithering out of the mouth of a menacing skull was located on her left breast, right where her heart would be.

A much younger woman was also in the room, glaring daggers at Allura. Aside from her dark hair color, the youngest wore her hair and clothes in the exact same fashion. She had the same tattoo, but hers was located on her left arm instead. The tension between the two women hung heavy in the air, and Tom knew it was only a matter of moments before one would attack the other.

“You can try to look like me all you’d like but the Dark Lord will never have you, you little bitch. You’re not even capable of satisfying him.” Allura hissed, baring her teeth viciously.

“On the contrary, I daresay it’s only a matter of time before he decides it’s time to trade the old hag in for someone better.” The dark haired woman snapped back, drawing her wand as she did so. However, Allura was much faster and had sent the cruciatus curse flying across the room at her opponent. The younger woman dropped to the floor, writhing and screaming in agony. The curse didn’t stop for a good ten minutes, and Allura laughed maniacally at the girl the entire time.

Tom allowed Allura to have her bit of fun, but it was now time for him to intervene.

“That’s enough, Allura. Bellatrix must capture the Longbottom family tonight.” Tom said in a silky tone as he slithered out of the shadows. Allura released her curse on Bellatrix at once when Tom made his presence known.

“She vexes me so. The little tramp needs to learn her place in our house.” Allura replied, her tone so icy that even Tom felt the urge to shiver for a split second.

Bellatrix was still crumpled on the floor, gasping for air and unable to move. Neither Tom nor Allura paid her any mind. If anything, Tom was rather aroused by Allura’s actions. Allura noticed his mood right away and smirked, having thought of another way to punish Bellatrix for trying to steal Tom’s affections.

“My Lord…” Allura purred, dropping to her knees as she undid Tom’s trousers. The little minx was being so damn cruel to Bellatrix, eliciting groans of ecstasy almost nonstop from Tom’s lips as she sucked him off. Tom was so amused by his mate’s antics, having known exactly what she was playing at from the start, that he couldn’t help but voice his pleasure for her. He had already nearly lost his mind, but release was snatched away from him when Allura stopped her ministrations and rose to her feet.

“More.” Tom growled and pushed his lover onto the dining room table, hiking up her dress as he did so. Tom knew that he had never pounded into a woman so feverishly in all of his life as he took her. He could hear Bellatrix’s sobs over the man she could never have, but he paid her no attention. Just as the pair was about to climax, Tom awoke back in his bed at Hogwarts. 

In the dream, both he and Allura had been so thoroughly unhinged that it frightened Tom. Evidently, despite how confused and disturbed he was over it, he was currently mentally sick enough to be physically aroused just the same. Tom spent the rest of the wee hours contemplating what was going on in his own head to create such a dream in the first place. 

Eventually, Tom chalked up the more repulsive details to the aggression he was feeling toward Parkinson. Deep down he wasn’t bothered by the fact that he had a sexual dream about Allura. She was a pretty girl, and at least that aspect of the dream felt normal to Tom. He then considered the fact that sex dreams usually weren’t subconsciously about sex at all, which also made him feel better about it. Tom had read somewhere that such dreams usually signified a longing for affection, but he chose to push that thought out of his mind quickly.

It took what seemed like an eternity for the clock to show six am, but the sight was welcomed nonetheless.Tom rose out of bed with a sigh, washed up in the bathroom, and dressed into his school uniform.

Breakfast proved to be rather uncomfortable. Allura, still half asleep when she reached the table, sat across from Tom but made no attempt to interact with anyone. He was grateful that she wasn’t a morning person, but he fell out of ease rather quickly. The sight of her taking a bite of sausage brought the mental image of Allura on her knees for him to the forefront, and Tom quickly left the great hall without eating much at all. He probably wouldn’t have even noticed the sight at all if her plump lips didn’t look so damned inviting.

Tom’s foul mood persisted all day, what with how tired he was on top of the anxiety he felt around Allura after the dream. She had noticed that Tom wasn’t himself, and went looking for him after dinner. After an uneventful search of the castle, she gave in and decided to go back to the common room.

“Abraxas, have you seen Tom? I can’t find him anywhere.” Allura asked her brother, who had been seated at a table in the corner doing homework.

“He probably went outside for a walk. That’s what he usually does when he’s feeling troubled, anyway. I wouldn’t go pester him if I were you.” Abraxas replied as he looked up from his transfiguration essay.

“Do you know what’s wrong? He’s been acting rather strange today. Perhaps I should get a potion for him from Slughorn.” Allura asked, contemplating which draught she should ask for.

“No idea. Draught of peace might work well but good luck with getting him to drink it before you get jinxed. I’ve already warned you about bothering him in his current state. Not that you’d listen to me anyway.” Abraxas said with a sigh before turning back to his homework.

Allura set out onto the grounds to find Tom after visiting Slughorn’s office. The professor had also noticed that Tom had been rather on edge that day, and had been happy to hand over a tonic to calm his nerves. She had found Tom sitting on a large rock by the Black Lake.

Before Allura could even greet him, Tom was ready to pounce.

“If I wanted you with me I would have asked you to come along.” He snapped, glaring daggers at the girl. He could see the hurt in Allura’s big blue eyes but he couldn’t care less about her feelings at the moment.

“I’ll leave if you want, but not before you drink this. Slughorn sent it for you to calm your nerves.” She answered quietly, careful to keep her tone soft and unoffending. She would have rather snapped back at him, but she knew that wouldn’t win his cooperation at all. She held the small vial out for him to take and waited patiently.

Tom gave an indignant sigh but accepted the potion and drank it. “Ugh. I hate chocolate.” He complained afterward, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

“It’s a critical ingredient, unfortunately. The chocolate in the draught will help increase the serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain.” She replied simply before sitting down on the rock next to him. As she spoke,Tom visibly became more calm.

“You really shouldn’t be wandering around alone with Parkinson on the loose, you know.” He lightly scolded, pointing out a fact rather than lashing out.

“Is that what’s been bothering you all day? I doubt you’ll have to get into it with him again like you did last night. You nearly ripped his arm out of the socket.” She chuckled at the last part, hoping that it would lighten his mood further.

“No, I’m not at all worried about Parkinson. I had a disturbing dream last night and lost a lot of sleep over it is all. I really wouldn’t care to discuss it any further.” Tom explained, feeling a lot more patient about someone prying into his personal business than he normally would be. 

“I’m sure Slughorn would give you a dreamless draught if it keeps happening. Anyway, I would like to let you know that as your friend I don’t mind lending an ear if something is troubling you. It looked like you couldn’t even think straight in classes today and I was worried.” Allura replied softly as she picked up a handful of pebbles and started tossing them into the lake.

“Noted. However, there’s no cause for you to be concerned about me. I can take care of myself.” Tom said simply as he gazed at Allura. She only nodded in response.

“I was flipping through a textbook in History of Magic today and I’ve found some information that looks like a good lead on your lineage.” Allura confided and took a piece of parchment out of her pocket.

“The Gaunt family never attended Hogwarts aside from a few people many many years ago. That could be why there’s no record of either of your parent’s in the school archives.” Allura explained further, showing him the small slip of paper with the name “Marvolo Gaunt” scrawled neatly on it.

Tom’s interest was piqued at the sight of his shared name.

“So, strictly based on pureblood tradition, which Gaunts would have followed, my middle name would have come from my mother’s father, yes?” Tom asked, verifying the previous information Allura had previously given him.

“Precisely. He must have had a daughter that turned out to be your mother, since your last name is not Gaunt. I couldn’t find any clues about your father but the little bit of information in the book did say that Little Hangleton is the last known location of the Gaunts. I think that would be a good place to start looking.”

Tom was dumbfounded. Never in a million years did he think Allura would find such a solid lead so quickly.

“Thank you, Allura. You’ve done a splendid job.”

The draught of peace had worked marvelously, and Tom once again allowed Allura to take hold of his arm as they walked back to the common room. By that time, it was well after curfew and everyone else had gone to sleep. The pair bid each other goodnight and parted ways to go to bed.


	5. Chapter Five: January 1943 (Part Two)

Chapter Five: January, 1943 (Part Two)

Tom had managed to sleep peacefully the rest of the week, and Saturday arrived in what felt like a mere blink of an eye. By noon, Tom was already seated at a table inside Brews and Stews Cafe. Not long after he had been seated, Abraxas and Allura had arrived to join him for lunch. The trio ordered their soups and hot sandwiches, hoping to warm themselves from the bitter cold outside.

“Knowing you two we’ll be in the bookshop for hours.” Abraxas grumbled, not wanting to waste his afternoon.

“Don’t come with us, then.” Allura replied simply before taking a bite of her sandwich.

“Actually, Abraxas, today is a good time as any to connect with the other students.” Tom pointed out casually, expecting Abraxas to recall that he had been ordered to start recruiting more followers without having to openly remind him in public.

Realization spread across the blonde boy’s features and he nodded. “You’re right, of course. I’ll just go catch up with the lads after lunch.”

The trio quickly finished their meal and parted ways after Abraxas paid the bill.

“Do you suppose we’ll be able to find anything in here about the Gaunts?” Allura asked as she walked into Tomes and Scrolls with Tom.

“Only one way to find out, I suppose. I would guess that if we do find anything it’ll be in the same part of the history section as the Pureblood Directory.” He replied and followed Allura to the back of the shop. A book about the Peverell brothers caught her eye, and she pulled it off the shelf.

“Perhaps if we start from the beginning...nearly all of the pureblood families in Britain are at least distantly related to the Peverells…” She started to explain, but got distracted as she read over the table of contents and began flipping through the pages.

“Your ability to figure things out is astounding, Allura. Especially considering how little information was available to start with. Now it’s barely a week later and you know exactly where to look.” Tom said as he gazed at the girl. She really was exceedingly bright, and he wondered how she hadn’t been sorted into Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin.

“Now isn’t the time to exchange sweet words, Tom. We both need to be focused on the task at hand.” Allura admonished as she snapped the book shut and handed it to her companion before she continued to inspect the shelf in front of her. Despite the fact that she had ignored the compliment, Tom was rather pleased with Allura’s mindset. He couldn’t bring himself to be upset with her when she was so intent on finding the answers he asked her for. He also appreciated the fact that Allura was not particularly interested in romantic notions like most girls her age. He wouldn't have been able to stand her making puppy eyes at him over every little thing, in all honesty.

Nearly four hours later, the pair left the shop with a sack full of books that had looked promising.

“I’ll just be a moment.” Allura promised as she popped into Honeydukes, leaving Tom outside on a bench with their books. He hadn’t wanted to go into the crowded shop with such a large bag in tow and made Allura promise to be quick about making her purchase.

“Come on now, Allura. I’ve already paid for your sweets. The least you could do is let me walk you back to the castle.” Parkinson complained as he followed Allura out of the shop a few minutes later.

“I didn’t ask you to do that in the first place, Reginaldus. You practically pushed me out of the way at the register.” Allura cried out in annoyance.

“Honestly, I’m just trying to apologize for my behavior earlier this week. I was hoping that you’d let me speak to you about it if Riddle was around so you’d be more comfortable.” Parkinson pleaded as they headed in Tom’s direction.

“Well, here I am then. Say what you must to her now so we can move on with our afternoon.” Tom said curtly, having overheard their conversation on the way over to his bench.

“What I have to say to her isn’t actually any of your business, Riddle. I only meant for you to be close enough to see that she’s fine as I wish to talk privately with Allura.”

Rather than speaking anymore to Parkinson, Tom turned turn Allura. “I do not have the patience for his nonsense right now and I am ready to leave. You do as you please.” He said coldly, indirectly stating that she needed to choose between leaving with Tom and being alone with Parkinson. He had already begun to walk away.

“I will consent to speaking with you in the common room immediately after dinner, Reginaldus. As you can see, I am spending the afternoon with Tom and your interruption has been rather rude.” Allura explained diplomatically to Parkinson. Tom was already a good way ahead and gaining more distance every second.

“Alright, then. If that’s the only time you’re willing to allow me to have then I suppose I have no choice but to agree.” Parkinson replied in defeat.

“I shall see you after dinner.” Allura said curtly before walking away.

At this point, Tom was certain that Allura intended to stay behind. Deep down, he felt crushed but kept those feelings carefully suppressed. He was surprised when Allura was suddenly at his side hooking her arm with his own free arm. She noticed his surprise and realized that Tom must have thought she had ditched him. Not that she could understand why he thought so in the first place, considering she couldn’t stand Parkinson.

“Sorry about that. I told him off for interrupting us.” Allura explained with an apologetic smile, carefully leaving out the fact that she was to speak to Parkinson after dinner.

“Rightfully so, at that.” Tom replied with an icy grin. He had been rude himself for walking off, but Allura didn’t seem to mind so he didn’t care to apologize for it. He was pleased that she had joined him after all instead of hanging around Parkinson.

“Oh, I got something for you. I know you don’t care for sweets but it’s only made out of butterbeer and it’ll warm you up. I felt bad for leaving you waiting in the snow.” Allura explained as she retrieved a piece of hard candy from her Honeydukes bag. “Open up.” She added softly as she unwrapped the treat and held it up to Tom’s lips since his arms here already occupied.

Tom raised an eyebrow but he did allow her to pop it into his mouth. Her fingers briefly brushed against his lips accidentally and he shivered at the short-lived contact.

Once they returned to the empty common room, the pair sat in front of the fireplace to read over their new books.

“Allura, is the Tale of the Three Brothers based on the Peverell family?” Tom asked as he looked through the first book they had found.

“Yes, actually. Although many people believe that the story itself is purely fiction.” She replied with indifference. 

“What people believe isn’t always true, Allura. I can’t help but wonder if the objects in the story really do exist.”

“I’m not sure myself. There are stories about Salazar Slytherin’s wand being unbeatable. That could have just been a bit of fiction too, though. The magic to create such objects does exist, I suppose, but it would be terribly dangerous and even more difficult to pull off.”

“Hm…” Tom let out as he pondered the idea of the Deathly Hallows. But that would have to be a mystery to solve another day.

Later that evening, everyone else returned to the common room from dinner. Tom and Allura had been so caught up in their research that neither one had noticed the time.

“Didn’t see you at dinner so I brought this for you.” Parkinson explained as he handed Allura a big dinner roll wrapped in a napkin.

“Oh, yes. We lost track of the time.” Allura replied and tore the bread in half and passed the second piece to Tom.

“If you please, we agreed to speak privately after dinner.” Parkinson reminded her, nodding towards the corner of the room.

“I remember.” Allura replied with an indignant sigh and followed the older boy to the other side of the room. Tom became angry when he realized that this meeting had been planned and Allura had failed to mention it. Perhaps her loyalty wasn’t as sound as he had thought.

Rather than making another scene in front of everyone, Tom excused himself to go to the library before he was due to begin his prefect patrol. “How dare she give Parkinson the time of day like that without telling me beforehand?” Tom thought bitterly to himself as he made his way to the castle’s main floor.

“I honestly don’t mean to be so forward with you all the time, Allura. It’s just that my mother has been on my case about persuading you to agree to sign a marriage contract. We both know it’s bound to happen either way so I had hoped that we could marry willingly on our own terms rather than waiting until there’s no choice in the matter.” Parkinson explained quietly.

“I don’t even know you well enough to make that decision without force, Reginaldus. I realize that this is a big deal for the both of us but I am nowhere near ready to accept you.” Allura replied honestly with a sigh.

“That’s exactly why I’ve been trying to spend time with you. I know this is rather scary for you but there’s nothing I can do to ease the tension over this situation if you won’t bother to get to know me. If nothing else, we could at least be friendly enough to make our own contract before your sixteenth birthday. I don’t like the idea of marrying someone that’s practically a stranger either, you know. We might as well make the best of the situation at hand and try to have a decent future together.” He pleaded, trying to reason with the young lady.

“I will consent to spending time with you on the condition that you mind your manners. I have no interest in being around you at all if you won’t keep your hands to yourself like a gentleman.” Allura had finally given in and agreed to let Parkinson have a chance, but she was still rather doubtful.

“Excellent. Shall we eat together during lunch from now on? We only have until June to make this happen our way. I’d also like to take you on a proper date the next Hogsmeade weekend.” Parkinson answered with a smile, glad to be finally getting through to her. She only nodded in response. Just then, Allura’s stomach growled.

“Come on, then. I’ll escort you to the kitchen so you can have some dinner.”

Tom had overheard the pair discussing how strict forced marriage contracts were as they passed the library, and he immediately put down his book to look up marriage contracts. He had to figure out a way to get Allura out of this mess if he was to get any more use out of her. Surely a husband would not allow her to get involved in his plans to take over the wizarding world, and that simply would not do.

“I do not wish to be forced to produce a child within the first two years, and I’ll be demanding my own sleeping chambers as a condition in the contract.” Allura chided before taking a bite of mashed potatoes.

“So you wish to marry without any obligation to carry out your duties as my wife? That’s completely unfair!” Parkinson cried out in disbelief.

“I said no such thing, Reginaldus. I am only insisting that I have a choice as to what happens with my body. I’ll not tolerate being treated like I am nothing more than your personal property. I am a person, not a toy, and you would do well to remember it.” She retorted impatiently.

“Alright, alright! Then I may take a mistress if my ah...needs are not being met. It’s only fair if you plan to ignore me in that way. And you’ll raise any children produced in such circumstances as if they were your own.” Parkinson insisted, at least trying to sway her demands in his own favor.

“That suits me just fine. I cannot say that I believe I’ll ever be interested in you like that anyway.” She answered nonchalantly.

“Does Queen Sheeba have any other ridiculous demands, or will that do for now?” The older boy sighed in exasperation.

“I don’t think I’m being unreasonable at all. You agreed to making our own contract before June. You gave me the option to avoid a forced contract so I’m taking it.” Allura replied simply before she finished her dinner and the pair left the kitchens. By that time, it was well after hours and Tom had started patrolling the dungeons. Naturally, he had happened across Allura and Parkinson on their way back to the common room.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to dock fifty points each, and you both shall serve detention for being caught roaming the castle after curfew. Now get back to the common room at once.” Tom scolded, having no intent to take it easy even on Allura. He was far too angry over the situation at hand to even consider being lenient.

Allura was shocked that Tom had been so harsh but thought it best to follow his orders. He was clearly in the mood to hand out punishments and she didn’t fancy making things worse for herself.

Around midnight, Allura sneaked down to the empty common room to meet Tom as he returned from his patrol. He could easily see that she had been crying, and he was annoyed with her for assuming she could complain to him about it. That thought, however, was pushed out of his mind once she started to explain herself.

“I desperately need your help finding a loophole so I can get out of this marriage with Parkinson.” She said quietly as she looked hopefully at Tom. “If I can’t find a solution myself surely you could.”

“I fail to see how this matter is of any interest to me.” Tom replied in an icy tone, desperately trying to convince himself more than her.

“That’s where you’re wrong. On the train you asked me to help you. Parkinson would never allow it but if he never becomes my husband in the first place...well, let’s just say that I would owe you a massive favor if you do help me.” Allura corrected, implying that her services would be at his disposal according to the request he had made of her when they were on the way back to Hogwarts.

“I’ve already started researching marriage contracts, actually. I overheard you two talking about it when you passed by the library.” Tom admitted with a sigh as he took a small book out of his pocket on the topic. 

“There hasn’t been very much relevant information in this one, I’m afraid, but I didn’t really know the basic facts about such arrangements so I checked it out for a few days.”

“I’m afraid finding any loopholes would be rather difficult. Most people do just accept their fate so it’s uncommon for anyone to try and get out of it.” Allura informed him, deciding it was best to make it clear this would not be an easy task by any means.

“Perhaps reading over the standard contract would be helpful...I don’t think writing an original contract would be beneficial at all. It’ll at least buy us more time if you just wait until a contract is officially being forced on you...that way we would have until June to sort it out.” Tom mused as he thought through their initial plan.

“I’ll have to make it seem like I’m cooperating with him and just stall on reaching an agreement. I don’t want him to catch on to the plan and mess everything up. Slughorn should have an unsigned standard contract available. Parkinson would never find out if you asked for a copy. You know, make it seem like you’re just curious about it and wanted to research pureblood traditions for the sake of networking with that crowd to improve your prospects outside of school…”She suggested hopefully.

“Agreed.. Slughorn knows that I’ll be staying with your family over the summer for my internship with your father so it makes perfect sense for me to have such interest in that sort of thing.” Tom agreed with a nod. “I don’t think anyone would suspect a thing.”

“Would you go see Slughorn tomorrow? The sooner we get to work the better. Parkinson is pestering me to spend time with him so it should be easy enough to keep him far out of your way.” Allura pleaded, hoping that Tom would be equally eager to start on this mission.

“Alright, but I insist you stick to areas with a lot of people around. I wouldn’t care to find out the hard way what he might try to do if he gets you alone again.” Tom ordered before sitting on the couch to start reading the book he had borrowed from the library.

***

On his way back to the common room from breakfast the next morning, Tom ran into just the person he needed to speak with that day.

“Good morning, sir. I hope you slept well.” He greeted the portly potions master.

“I did indeed, m’boy! How are you feeling this fine morning?” Slughorn replied and clapped Tom on the back.

“To be honest, I am feeling quite unprepared for my internship this summer. I’ll be staying with the Malfoys and due to my upbringing I fear I’ll look like a fool if I’m not familiar enough with the more elite magical traditions.” The young man explained earnestly. Surely the old goat would buy his story.

“Not to worry, Tom! Come by my office for tea this afternoon and we’ll have a chat about any questions you may have.” Slughorn reassured his student, glad to have an excuse to spend extra time socializing with one of his brightest pupils.

Later that afternoon, Tom headed to Slughorn’s office. He had left Allura in the common room to play wizard’s chess with Parkinson. Abraxas was in the common room as well so Tom didn’t feel the need to worry too much while he was gone. When he entered Slughorn’s office, he found a quaint table set for two, complete with tea, sweets, and miniature sandwiches.

“Now, Tom, what exactly is it that’s making you so nervous? We both know that your sense of etiquette is top notch, and that is the most important elite tradition you’ll have to face.” Slughorn inquired as he poured their tea.

“It’s the more complicated and lesser known traditions, sir. For example, I know nothing about pureblood marriage contracts or how that sort of thing works. What if I ask a girl for a dance at a dinner party and it turns out she’s betrothed? Surely I would not be forgiven for such a terrible show of ignorance.” Tom explained, doing his best to seem anxious about the hypothetical situation he described. 

“That sort of thing is pretty straight forward, actually, and more simple to figure out than you would expect. Such girls will either have a ring on, or will remain at her fiance's side during social gatherings. I can’t imagine that you would make such a mistake, as bright a fellow as you are.” Slughorn assured and took a bite of pastry.

“I suppose that would suffice it to know, however, I’ve heard a lot of talk among the older students about how strict the standard contract is, not to mention original contracts with varying terms. I think I wouldn’t worry so much if I was familiar at least with the more basic contractual requirements.” Tom supposed before taking a sip of his tea.

“It just so happens that I keep a blank copy of one in my desk. You’d be surprised how often a pair of lovebirds ask to see it so they can correctly format their own contract.” Slughorn exclaimed and retrieved the document from his desk, handing it to Tom so he could have a look. Tom took a few minutes to read over the long parchment.

“That’s...a rather interesting first page of the contract, I must say. I suppose it’s correct to assume that there is no limit on the number of conditions that can be placed in here.” Tom mused as he flipped through the other pages.

“That is correct, m’boy. Such a contract is very detailed to ensure a happy marriage.” Slughorn replied with a nod.

“What of arranged marriages and forced contracts, sir? Is there no getting out of it if the marriage is, in fact, not happy?” Tom asked, getting to brass tax regarding his intent of talking with Slughorn in the first place.

“Well...not that I am aware of regarding normal practices. This document is always bound by magic and cannot be violated, and such a traditional approach to matrimony eliminates the option to have a divorce in most cases. Although, in the old days a young man would sometimes challenge the groom to a duel in order to win the hand of his lover before the wedding could take place. It’s something that would happen on occasion but that was decades ago. I suspect that most young couples haven’t realized things like that have happened to counteract an unwanted marriage. These days death is usually the alternative, I’m afraid. Naturally, under such circumstances it’s most practical to write an original contract to make the marriage as comfortable as possible for both parties instead.” Slughorn explained.

“Sir, do you know of anyone that challenged a contract like that?” Tom asked, hoping to get more information on that aspect of the professor’s explanation.

“Actually, m’boy, I know all too well about challenging a marriage contract. You, of course, know that I do not have a wife. Shortly after graduation, the young lady I had been dating was forced into signing a marriage contract with someone else in order to bring a financial advantage to her family. Celeste was, of course, a beautiful and intelligent girl. Naturally, I was head over heals in love with her. After the contract had been signed I asked her permission to challenge her groom to a duel at their engagement party. She, of course, gave me her blessing. 

It didn’t seem as though anyone was shocked when I challenged the contract. I’m sorry to say that I was defeated at the duel and she was unable to be released from the arranged marriage. Afterward, I pursued a teaching career and have been here at Hogwarts ever since.” Slughorn told the boy sitting across from him, sharing one of his most personal and painful life stories.

“I must admit that I am rather shocked, sir. You seem to be so talented with magic. Your adversary must have been exceptional to beat you in a duel.” Tom said after a few moments of silence. He couldn’t really think of anything comforting to say to the old man.

“He was a trained auror. Truth be told, I knew I didn’t stand a chance. But I chose to give it a go anyway. Sometimes you have to fight for what you want even if you know the odds are against you, and luck can be on your side once in awhile. Even after my failure, I have never regretting trying. In fact, I suspect that it was a blessing in disguise. I may have lost the love of my life but it did lead me to teaching, and my failure did give me closure on losing Celeste. I cannot imagine life without my beloved students, and my career has been rather successful, if you ask me.” Slughorn confessed, perking up when he mentioned his teaching career. The conversation turned to various members of the Slug Club and how proud he was of his contributions to their education.

“And then there’s you, Mr. Riddle. I must confess that I was rather embarrassed by the situation with Mrs. Malfoy barging into the school because we had failed to realize the danger you were in. All water under the bridge, of course. The Malfoy family taking you in is brilliant, I must say. They all have a wonderful reputation and you’ll greatly benefit from being a part of their inner circle. Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy will see to it that you have every opportunity to reach the level of success that we all know you are capable of achieving.” Slughorn praised, knowing perfectly well that Tom was destined to do great things.

After he had left Slughorn’s office, Tom went for a walk to think things over. It appeared that the only solution to the problem at hand was to challenge Parkinson for Allura’s hand, but that really didn’t seem like a viable option. Tom had no desire to get married himself, and he couldn’t imagine that Allura would want to marry him either. His best strategy may have to be to win Parkinson over as a follower so he could still use Allura’s talents even if she was married. If only he could gain control over the situation, Tom would be all set.

The afternoon had passed slowly for Allura, and she had been dying to hear what Tom had found out during his time with Slughorn. He still hadn’t turned up by the time dinner started, so she headed to the Great Hall in hopes that she would find him there.

“You spent the day with him yesterday.” Parkinson grumbled as he walked with her to dinner.

“Yes, and as you are aware my parents took him in over the holiday. Mother considers him to be family at this point and asked me to treat him as such. You don’t seem to have anything to say about it when I am equally attentive to Abraxas.” Allura scolded, growing irritated with Parkinson’s obvious jealousy.

“But Abraxas is your brother, for heaven’s sake. It’s completely different with Riddle.” He complained as they entered the Great Hall.

“Tom is my friend and you’re just going to have to get over it. I’ve already spent almost all day with you as it is so I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.” She said with a note of finality before sitting at the large Slytherin table next to Tom. She knew better than to openly ask about the meeting with Slughorn but she did give him a pointed look, expressing her impatience.

“Later…” He murmured in Allura’s ear before serving himself some green beans. Just then, Abraxas sat down across from the pair.

“The next quidditch match is set for the first weekend in February. Slytherin vs Ravenclaw, so it should be a fun match. Will you two join me?” The blonde boy asked as he filled his own plate with food.

“I don’t even like quidditch.” Allura complained despite the fact that doing so wouldn’t make any difference. Per usual, she would end up sitting through the game with her twin and she knew it.

“I shall see if my schedule will allow it but I make no promise to attend.” Tom gave his answer before tucking into his dinner. He didn’t particularly enjoy sports so watching quidditch had never been very high on his list of priorities.

“You really should take a break from all the studying you do at least once in awhile, Tom. It’ll be fun.” Abraxas said, trying to convince his friend that it would be worthwhile to go.

“I’ll consider it but like I said, I’ll make you no promises.”

After dinner, Allura followed Tom out to the Black Lake once more. 

“I’m afraid Slughorn didn’t have any good news to offer about getting out of marriage contracts. The only thing that ever has been done is a man challenging the arranged groom to a duel. Winner gets the bride. That doesn’t sound very helpful since you have the option to choose your own husband until your sixteenth birthday, but you have yet to find someone that you want.” Tom explained, hoping that Allura wouldn’t get upset enough to start crying again.

“There’s nothing that can be done?” Allura asked quietly, casting her eyes down in disappointment.

“Well, Slughorn did mention death as a common choice for those who refuse to submit to a marriage. So no, it doesn’t appear that there’s any way for you to get out of marrying Parkinson unless you choose someone else before June.” Tom confirmed flatly.

“I suppose I should just pursue an original contract, following the roose I had already started. Hopefully things will turn out almost bearable that way.” Allura mused with a defeated sigh.

“Perhaps I could recruit Parkinson as a follower. Especially once I’ve gained more influence I could control him for your benefit, at least to some extent.” Tom suggested, revealing to her what he had been thinking about during his time alone earlier.

She rather ignored his suggestion, frantically trying to rack her brain for any original conditions she needed to insist that Parkinson honor. The pair sat quietly on the big rock until it was near curfew. There wasn’t anything else for Tom to say at the moment, nor was he able to comfort his companion. The best he could do was to sit quietly by her side and leave her to her thoughts.

That night, Tom was burdened with another nightmare. 

He had no recollection of what had happened, but something had gone terribly wrong and Tom knew he failed miserably at whatever task it was that he had tried to carry out.

He was in a panicked frenzy, which only worsened when Tom realized that he had no body. Was he dead? It didn’t seem to be true, but his soul was most definitely stuck in some sort of weird limbo phase on Earth. He wasn’t even a ghost, as there was not even an apparition of his body. He was just there and not there all at the same time.

In his confusion, the only thought that would come to mind was that he absolutely had to find Allura. After weeks of searching, to no avail, he tried to think of a place that she would go to search for him.

At the speed of light, he traveled to the hollowed tree in Albania. No one else could possibly find him there, since she was the only one to know that he had ever been there at all, aside from the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw. The rest of the world would most likely presume that he was dead. Only Allura knew his secret, to the best of his knowledge. He was immortal, and therefore could not die. In his haste, he had never researched how to regain his body if this ever did happen. All he could do was wait for Allura to arrive and aid him.

He waited in that tree for what felt like an eternity. Without a body, he needed no food or sleep, so he was able to do nothing except wait. Would she ever come? Eleven unbearable years later, he had given up hope.

Then, one day, a rather large snake slithered by his tree, hissing his birth name in Parseltongue. No animals had entered his part of the Albanian forest in nearly a decade. It was a peculiar event, so despite the fact that he knew nothing of this creature, he chose to reveal himself.

Tom’s soul floated down to the ground at eye level with the snake. Before he could even speak to it, the serpent stretched its jaws wide open and snapped at him, swallowing his invisible spirit whole.

Tom awoke with a start, cold sweat dripping from his entire body. He glanced over at the clock, noting that it was just past midnight. He stood up from his bed, hoping to distract himself with a book in the common room. Tom was surprised to find that the fireplace was still burning, and the couch in front of it appeared to be occupied. A blonde head peeked over the back of the sofa at the sound of his footsteps, and he was met with a pair of bright, sapphire colored eyes.

“Tom?” Allura’s soft voice asked, concern permeating her tone. She could see how disheveled he was from the nightmare. He was paler than usual, covered in sweat, and he seemed far more uneasy than she had ever seen. After he had previously mentioned the last nightmare he had, Allura suspected that it had happened again.

“Come sit down, then.” Allura said in a soothing tone as she scooted over so he could join her. She was caught completely off guard when he took a throw pillow, placed it on her lap, and laid down with his head on the cushion. He normally would have never done something like that in a million years, so Allura realized how out of sorts he really was at the moment. She didn’t know what else to do except charm her book to float in front of her so she could read quietly to him. Allura was feeling rather brave, so she went so far as beginning to gently stroke his hair in an attempt to comfort him further. Surprisingly, he only sighed and listened as Allura read out loud, rather than choosing to scold her or slap her hands away.

He was grateful that she had correctly assumed that he didn’t care to explain himself, nor would she think any differently of him after the fact. Moments like this were when he was the most fond of Allura. She simply accepted his current state and did nothing to further agitate his already busy mind. At the very least, Tom could appreciate a girl that would just let him be so he could attempt to relax when he needed it.

Allura had simply picked up where she had left off in the novel she had already been reading when he joined her. To his surprise, he discovered that she was reading Gone With the Wind. He listened to her soft voice as she read to him.

“No, my dear, I’m not in love with you, no more than you are with me, and if I were, you would be the last person I’d ever tell. God help the man who ever really loves you. You’d break his heart, my darling, cruel, destructive little cat who is so careless and confident she doesn’t even trouble to sheathe her claws.”

In an odd sort of way, the words of Rhett Butler struck Tom right in his cold heart in a rather uncomfortable fashion.

“I really don't care for romance novels.” Tom grumbled, hoping that she would stop reading.

“Fair enough.” Allura replied carelessly before continuing to read her book silently.

“I didn’t realize that you ever read muggle books.” Tom interrupted, finding the silence rather uncomfortable.

“Only in secret, of course. I don’t make a habit of it unless it’s the middle of the night and no one else is around. Mother would have a fit if she knew.” Allura explained with a sigh as she closed the book. It was obvious that her time to read such contraband was now over.

“I’m around…” Tom pointed out, taking the opportunity to ascertain how much trust the girl would put in him. Surely she realized that he could easily tell on her.

“It’s of no consequence to you what I’m reading, so you wouldn’t tell on me unless I was stupid enough to give you a reason to believe that doing so would benefit you.” She answered with indifference. Allura suddenly seemed to have an uncanny ability to read people and it made Tom wonder how well she had managed to figure him out. At least this time, she was absolutely correct in her assumption about how he operated.

“And how exactly is it that you know that for certain?” He asked, deciding to at least try to satisfy his curiosity on the matter.

“I do pay attention to what’s going on around me, you know. It isn’t hard to figure out that what someone else is doing is irrelevant to you unless they’re getting in your way or are able to help you get something that you want. Like I said, I intend to do neither on this matter so I may continue to read my books in peace.”

“Clever girl.” Tom chuckled icily, unsure if he should be irritated by how observant she was or not. She couldn’t figure out his darker secrets that were never to be revealed, but she obviously could see past his charm. That would eventually prove to be either good or bad for Tom, and only time would tell.

It was already nearing just past one thirty, and Allura did her best to stifle a yawn. She was nearly ready to go to bed when Tom did show up that night. Before long, Allura fell asleep seated on the couch with Tom’s head still resting on her lap. When the clock chimed two, Tom went back to his own bed. He didn’t care to wake Allura so he simply switched his transfiguration textbook with the novel she had been reading so she would not be caught with a muggle book. He opened the textbook to their current unit and placed it on her lap where his head had been. The others wouldn't think anything of her staying up late to study and falling asleep in the common room. He slipped her copy of Gone With the Wind into his trunk and went to sleep.

“Allura? It’s time to get up for classes. You’ve already missed breakfast.” Abraxas chided as he shook her arm impatiently.

“Piss off, ‘Braxas.” The girl growled before covering her eyes with her arm so she could go back to sleep. It was unlike her to willingly miss a class but she was obviously exhausted.

“She won’t listen to me. Father will have my head if I let her ditch classes.” Abraxas grumbled to the other students that were passing through the common room.

“Come along, Allura.” Tom said coolly to the young lady. It was one thing for her to ignore her twin but Tom wouldn’t stand for it if she did so to him. Chances were that she knew better, even if she wasn’t fully awake.

“If you don’t get up now I’ll send Parkinson to wake you up.” He added with a smirk as Abraxas guffawed from behind him. Finally, Allura gave an indignant snort and sat up.

“How ladylike.” Tom sarcastically described the piggish sound that had escaped her in her agitation. The others had already made their way out to the hall to head for class by the time she had finished changing clothes and washing up.

“It’s your fault I’m so tired.” Allura complained as the trio left the common room.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. You stayed up all night studying and fell asleep. Dreaming about me, were you?” Tom retorted with a smirk. By morning, he had regretted last night, and since the evidence had already been cleared away he went with the lie. Abraxas laughed at his sister’s confusion all the way to History of Magic.


	6. Chapter Six: February 1943

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to say that this chapter is unusually short. I couldn't get around it as things happen very abruptly and it's the end of the first phase of Tom and Allura's relationship. However, things between them will pick up very rapidly after this chapter, and it'll be uncommon for short chapters to be posted regularly. Anyway, I might post another chapter later to make up for this one if I get a chance :-)

Chapter Six: February, 1943

The following weeks passed rather quickly, and Allura was starting to get reasonably used to Parkinson. It would be untrue to say that she enjoyed his company, but they got along okay under the circumstances and she could tolerate him as long as he wasn’t physically all over her. 

Tom had pretended to be at least a little friendly with Parkinson, hoping to get just close enough to gain control over him. Before long, the trio had become a quartette, despite the fact that the newest addition didn’t quite fit right into their little group. Nonetheless, Tom was still considered their leader for the most part so he didn’t complain much. At least for the time being, he would put up with Parkinson tagging along so Tom could keep an eye on him when he was hanging around Allura. Unfortunately, he hadn’t made very much progress in gaining influence over the older boy thus far. At least Parkinson was a beater on the Slytherin quidditch team so he wouldn’t be pestering the trio during the match that day. Allura and Abraxas had talked Tom into joining them, although he did bring a book to read instead of actually watching the game.

“Surely you won’t be able to study in the stands, Tom. It’ll be too noisy. Put that damned thing away.” Abraxas laughed as they took their seats.

Tom sighed, knowing that his companion was right, and he reluctantly slipped the book into his pocket. Fortunately, it was just a small potions text and fit easily into his cloak.

Allura wasn’t too happy about quidditch either, but she had always gone to the games with Abraxas. Her mood seemed to lighten drastically when a Ravenclaw beater nailed Parkinson with a bludger, causing the boy to fall off his broom. She did her best not to seem pleased by the event but Tom had been able to read the glimmer in her eyes and gave her a satisfied smirk.

It was fortunate that Parkinson had not won Allura over, and Tom was happy with the blatant disdain that she still harbored for the older boy. If he couldn’t control Parkinson himself, Tom would have to rely on the girl’s disobedience in regard to her husband.

“Ah, Miss Malfoy. The nurse tells me that Mr. Parkinson has been asking for you since he entered the hospital wing. Off you go.” Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully as he met the trio in the hallway on their way back from the quidditch match. “I’m afraid he’s only allowed one visitor at a time.” The bearded, old man added as he cast his knowing gaze on Tom, halting the boy in his tracks when he made to follow Allura. The girl sighed in frustration and left the boys behind to see what Parkinson wanted.

“Where the hell were you?” Parkinson hollered as she entered the infirmary. He was clearly put out because she hadn’t rushed to his side at once when he had been injured.

“Madam Adland is perfectly capable of taking care of you without my help. She’ll have you fixed up in no time and there wouldn’t have been anything for me to do if I had been here earlier.” Allura snapped right back at him.

“You should have been here to support your future husband. I won’t stand for such negligence from you, Allura. The least you could do is pretend to give a damn considering the circumstances.” Parkinson argued, his voice getting louder and louder.

“I’ll not pretend with you. You were well tended this whole time and I do not feel the need to follow you around like a lost puppy. Get your head out of the clouds and let it sink into that thick head of yours that I don’t want you.” She hissed, venom dripping from each and every word.

“Fine. It’s in my head. And now I’m finished with trying to help you. I’ve been nothing but nice to you and you refuse to even meet me halfway. There obviously isn’t any point in trying any longer or further pursuing an original contract to your liking, so you can expect a standard contract to be presented to you for your next birthday. I’ll do whatever the hell I want with you after that if you don't mind your attitude, you little shrew.” Parkinson roared, reaching his full volume at this point.

“I hate you.” Allura spat before Madam Adland kicked her out of the hospital wing for causing such a ruckus.

Not long after, Allura stormed into the common room, so angry that she was close to tears.

“What the…?” Abraxas started when he noticed her enraged state, giving Tom a quizzical look as he was quickly cut off by his twin.

“Leave me be.” She snapped before heading into her dorm to retrieve a book to distract herself with before storming out again.

“Maybe she’s had a fight with Parkinson…” Abraxas mused to Tom once she was out of the room.

“Probably so. Go get Parkinson to tell you what happened and I’ll deal with Allura.” Tom ordered, knowing that she would probably head out to the lake. He threw his cloak on, ready to follow her as soon as Abraxas headed out to the hospital wing.

A few minutes later he did find her out by the lake, just as he had expected.

“I said leave me be.” She hissed at Tom as soon as she saw him.

“I will not.” Tom replied coolly. He would forgive her for being so aggressive but he certainly wasn’t going to back down.

“What’s got you in such an uproar, then?” He asked once he took a seat next to her on the rock by the Black Lake where they usually talked. He wasn’t in the mood to tiptoe around the issue.

“Parkinson is an ass.” She fumed, though she knew her explanation wasn’t new information to Tom.

“Is that all?” Tom asked flatly and raised one eyebrow, finding it hard to accept only that explanation.

“He threw a fit because I didn’t rush off to the hospital to check on him and I fought back. An original contract is off the table and I’ll be forced to endure a standard contract. I won’t even be able to sneeze without his permission once it’s signed.” She explained further, clearly distraught over the end result of the argument.

“Damn it, Allura.” Tom growled, quickly becoming agitated over how stupid she had been. “All you had to do was play nice for a little longer and the situation would have turned out reasonably tolerable.”

“I know...I’m so angry with myself for messing everything up. Of course I should have known he would take that possibility away from me the first chance he got.” She cried out, no where close to being able to calm down.

“The best you can hope for is I’ll be able to recruit him as a follower so he’s under my control. Your are also aware that we don’t like each other at all and the chances of that happening are slim to none.” Tom said calmly despite how angry he was. This situation was going all wrong for him. Perhaps he would have to just leave Allura to her fate and find someone else to assist him with his research.

More than anything, Tom was furious over the fact that someone else had successfully laid claim to something that he wanted. As it would turn out, there was more to the anger and jealousy he felt than he even realized, though he wasn’t able to admit that fact to himself.


	7. Chapter Seven: May, 1943

Chapter Seven: May, 1943

As the months passed, Allura slept and ate less and less all the time as a result of the dread she felt for summer to arrive. She had also further isolated herself from her peers and really only spoke when she was forced to do so. It got to the point that the deputy headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, had called her into his office in late May.

“Ah, Miss Malfoy. Please take a seat.” The old man gestured to a chair in front of his desk.

Allura felt rather uneasy as he inspected her over his half-moon spectacles. It felt as though he were scanning her with x-ray vision.

“Yes, professor?” She asked after taking a seat in the offered chair.

“I’ve noticed that you seem to be feeling quite unwell. So much so that while speaking with the other professors this morning it was brought up that we are all concerned about your obvious lack of sleep and your unwillingness to eat during mealtimes.” Dumbledore explained, steepling his fingers together as he spoke.

“I’ve just been under a lot of stress lately. I can assure you that I am alright, as proven by my continued excellent grades.” Allura replied carefully, not wanting to speak with him on the matter.

“If you ever wish to speak to someone or seek advice on your stress, I am happy to be of assistance to you, Miss Malfoy.” He said kindly, still examining the young lady.

“Thank you, sir, but I’m not in need of assistance at this time.” She replied politely, though she was making it clear that she did not have any intention to confide her troubles in him.

“Perhaps Mr. Riddle is someone you would be able to find comfort with. I’ve noticed how much time he used to spend with you. In my youth, I always found that a good friend was always the answer to my problems.” Dumbledore suggested, though the twinkle in his eye suggested that he knew something she didn’t.

“Thank you, sir. I shall take your advice into consideration. It that all?” Allura asked diplomatically as she stood from her seat.

“Yes, Miss Malfoy. You may go.”

Once it was close to curfew, Allura approached Tom in the corner of the common room where he had been writing an essay.

“Could I have my book back, please? You never returned it to me after that one night that I fell asleep in the common room.” She asked quietly, referring to Gone with the Wind.

“After everyone else has gone to bed.” He answered the question shortly without looking up from his assignment. 

“I found something yesterday that might interest you to know about.” Allura murmured, setting the book she had been holding down onto the small table he had been using.

“I’ll look at it later.” He said quickly, still not taking the time to even look at her. The exchange was rather awkward and dismissive on Tom’s end after months of ignoring the girl. Rather than saying anything else, she left him alone to finish his work and sat down on a nearby couch.

A few minutes later curiosity did get the best of Tom. He flipped Allura’s copy of The Noble House of Slytherin open to the page she had marked. His eyes grew wide as he read the page, which described the Gaunts as the last known descendants in Britain of Salazar Slytherin himself.

“Allura, come here.” Tom called to her from his seat. She obeyed without any fuss.

“Is this a credible author?” He asked sharply, finding it difficult to fully grasp the gravity of the words he had just read.

“Yes, it is.” She answered simply, thus confirming that Tom was, in fact, the heir of Slytherin if he was a Gaunt.

“Yes, Allura. I will escort you to the infirmary right away.” Tom said suddenly, just loud enough for the other students to overhear. He needed to speak with her alone immediately. 

Once they were out in the hallway, Tom turned to Allura and pulled her into a hidden alcove off to the side.

“Why didn’t you report this to me yesterday when you found it?” He asked in an accusing tone.

“You were on patrol last night and you’ve done a splendid job of avoiding me so it was rather difficult to get you alone long enough to show you.” Allura said quietly. It was true, and he had dropped his interest in her altogether right after her big argument with Parkinson. Truth be told, he had missed her all this time, and was pleased to find that she had thoughts of him often enough to continue the research he had assigned to her.

“At this point, there’s just the burden of proof and you’re all set with an impressive bloodline.” Allura added, being able to see that the wheels were turning in his head at lightning speed. She knew how quickly her position with Tom was improving with every passing moment, and she hadn’t even told him the best part yet. She knew exactly how to prove who he really was.

“Thank you.” Tom said with sincerity, for once.

“I think...perhaps it would be best if we keep this information a secret, at least for now.” He added after taking a moment to think things over.

“I think so too. It would be silly to start telling people without incontrovertible evidence. And I can imagine how much trouble would get blamed on you if the rest of the school found out.” Allura agreed before attempting to suppress a yawn.

“You really do look terrible.” Tom observed, though not unkindly, now that he was close enough to get a good look at her. The dark circles under her eyes looked like bruises, and she had easily lost a good ten pounds if not more from her already slender figure.

Allura knew all too well how bad her appearance had become, though she didn’t have anything to say in response.

“Come on, then. You’ll at least have something small to eat.” Tom ordered as he lead her toward the kitchens. Now that she was useful again, he would have to see to it that her health improved. He had failed to notice how bad of a state she had fallen into over the past few months. Allura obediently followed her companion, though she was too exhausted to say much. If anything, she was at least pleased to have been able to reunite with one of her few friends.

The house elves bustled about to prepare a bowl of hot soup for the young lady. They, too, had been alarmed by how emaciated she appeared, and several of the elves promptly punished themselves under the belief that they never served food that she liked.

“We is bad, bad, terrible! Horrible, no good, dirty elves!” An older elf squealed as he banged himself on the head with a hot frying pan.

“Stop it at once.” Allura ordered with a groan. “The food served is always excellent. I just haven't had much of an appetite for quite some time.” 

“Squeeky has special bread, Miss!” a female elf exclaimed as she ran over to Allura with a tiny loaf to offer.

“I haven’t seen that stuff in a while.” Tom said with a chuckle, knowing all too well about the “special bread”. It wasn’t something you’d see very often, and was reserved for undernourished students. He had been forced to eat plenty of it throughout his first year at Hogwarts.

“What is it?” She asked, knowing that something was up despite the fact that it looked like regular soda bread.

“It’s made with a vitamin potion so you can recover from malnourishment.” Tom explained as Allura tore a piece off of the loaf.

“Squeeky shall make sure there is always special bread for you at meal times, Miss.” The elf explained with a low bow.

“You’ve eaten this before?” Allura asked Tom, not having ever seen it served to anyone.

“Not in a long while, but it’s alright. You can’t really taste the potion and it isn’t difficult to get down when you’re not feeling up to eating.” He replied with a nod as he watched Allura take a small bite. The bread didn’t make a very big difference with her appearance but he could see that she felt loads better after she finished it.

“And your soup too, please.” He ordered, nudging the small bowl closer to her.

“What’s the secret ingredient in this stuff?” She asked, suspecting that it also contained some sort of potion.

“Chicken and vegetables, Miss.” Squeeky giggled before running off to the other side of the kitchen to resume her chores.

“Your really do need to start sleeping as well, Allura.” Tom implored her as the pair walked back down to the dungeons.

“I’ve been taking them for so long that sleeping potions don’t work anymore.” She explained, although he already knew that her system would be resisting those draughts by now.

“Oh, ho! Found a straggler out of bed on your patrol, did you Tom?” Slughorn called from further down the hallway.

“Not quite, sir. She’s been sick from not eating so I escorted her to the kitchen.” He confessed, knowing that Slughorn wouldn’t scold him for breaking the rules with such a good reason.

“I think we’ll keep this little encounter to ourselves, then, although it’s after hours.Now I must insist that you go straight to bed, Allura. I shall see you in my office for your patrol report later, Tom.” Slughorn said quietly before clapping Tom on the back affectionately and muttering how kind of a young man he was as he made his way back to his own office.

“Try to get some sleep.” Tom said casually before walking away from Allura to patrol the corridors.

Allura found herself unable to sleep after she had gone to bed, so she made her way into the common room to rest on the couch. She did manage to doze off after the crackling of the fire lulled her to sleep.

“I told you to go to bed.” Tom said quietly when he entered the common room just after midnight. She sat up at the sound of his voice, though he could tell she wasn’t mentally awake by any means when he sat down next to her. In a sleep-deprived daze, Allura crawled across the sofa to Tom and curled up on his lap so she could rest her head in the crook of his neck. She gave a content sigh and fell back asleep before he could do anything.

Normally, Tom would have pushed the girl away but he decided to allow it if it would win her some sleep. She had earned a good night’s rest considering the magnitude of the information she had revealed to him earlier.

Since there was nothing else he could do, Tom rested his cheek against her forehead and closed his eyes.

“At least she smells nice.” Tom thought to himself as he rested his hand on her knee. Before long, Tom fell asleep too.

“Allura!” Abraxas hissed before pulling his sleeping twin off of Tom. “Parkinson would kill you if he caught you like that. You’re lucky I’m the first one up this morning.” 

Allura being jerked out of his lap jolted Tom awake as well. The girl yanked her arm out of Abraxas’ grip, needing to take a moment to remember what had happened. Realization hit her and she looked at Tom with wide eyes.

He hadn’t intended to let her sleep until everyone else was due to get up, but Tom hadn’t awoken any earlier himself.

“Go get ready, Allura. I’d like to speak privately with Tom.” Abraxas said irritably, dismissing her from the awkward scene.

Abraxas sat down next to Tom with a sigh, clearly not looking for an argument.

“Listen, mate. These marriage contracts...they’re nothing to mess with. He could discipline her however he sees fit if Parkinson finds out. He could even get away with “accidentally” killing her. I don’t personally have a problem with something happening between you and her, but a situation like this can’t ever happen again. Parkinson men are well known for dishing out exceptionally cruel punishments for a wife’s minor infractions. I can’t imagine what would happen to Allura if…” Abraxas calmly explained to his friend, but trailed off as other students began filing into the common room to head out for breakfast.

“Understood.” Tom replied with a curt nod before making his way to the dorms to get ready for the day ahead. Abraxas followed so he could finish getting ready as well.

“Honestly, Abraxas, nothing happened. She looked half dead when she sat on me so I just let her sleep since it’s so apparent that she desperately needs it. That’s all there was to it.” Tom said quietly, though no one else was there to overhear their conversation.

“I don’t expect you to know better because you grew up differently, but she knows how bad things will get for her if she doesn’t get her mind right. She shouldn’t have ever let that happen, especially considering the fact that the whole thing meant nothing, according to you.” Abraxas said with a sigh, letting his frustration with Allura be known to his friend.

“I think she’s just given up. She knows her fate and has been a mess ever since she figured that out. Shes already been traumatized by the mere thought of being stuck with Parkinson forever. It makes sense for her to seek a bit of comfort while she still can.” Tom said, knowing that he was right to believe that the girl thought she had nothing to lose in being so reckless with her well-being.

A few days later, Abraxas had asked Tom to meet him at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Curious, Tom agreed to the secret meeting. 

“I’m begging you to help me, Tom. I’ve got to get my sister out of Parkinson’s clutches. She’s being so stupid that she’ll get herself hurt really badly, if she lives through the marriage at all.” Abraxas pleaded, trusting his closest friend with the knowledge that he intended to plot against Allura’s forthcoming nuptials. 

“I’ve researched the topic myself, actually. If she’s forced to sign the contract I’m afraid there isn’t anything to get her out of it.” Tom replied coldly, knowing that time to figure out a solution was running short. “Perhaps the signing could at least be delayed. Allura’s health has gone to Hades. Surely Parkinson’s family won’t agree to the match until she’s better off.” Tom added the suggestion, though he knew it would only be a delay to the inevitable.

“I...Tom, this may sound crazy but hear me out. What if we managed to convince my parents to force a delay with their contract for health reasons... what if you entered a contract with her before Parkinson could?” Abraxas asked cautiously, hoping to convince Tom. The elephant in the room had finally been released. Tom had known for a long time that stealing the girl away from Parkinson would be the only way to save her. 

“And what makes you think your parents would allow that, exactly?” Tom asked, knowing full well that the Malfoy’s intended to pair their daughter with Parkinson as soon as possible.

“I think they might have offered her straight to you if you had grown up on our social circles, actually. You know as well as I do how much they like you.”

“There’s no guarantee that they would go for it. I’m a broke kid with no family or lineage to even speak of.” Tom retorted, making a point to illuminate all of the flaws in Abraxas’ suggestion. “I am not at all convinced that it’s a good idea to even attempt it.” Tom sighed indignantly.

“Oh, come on. Allura would have you over Parkinson any day. She’s spoiled rotten and my parents would give into the suggestion if it’s obviously what you both want. You’ll get a lot of money out of it, not to mention the social status that goes along with marrying a Malfoy. You two could write a contract you’re both happy with, which should be easy enough. It wouldn’t have to be anything like a real marriage at all, if that’s what you choose. Please, Tom. You’re the only person that I can turn to.” Abraxas implored.

From what Abraxas described, the only loser in this scenario would be Parkinson. A fact that Tom could certainly live with.

“Alright, we’ll give it a go. As bad as she looks, causing a delay with Parkinson should be easy enough. After that we’ll just have to figure out how to pull off the rest.” Tom finally agreed, giving his friend a curt nod of confirmation. He wasn’t sure of how much effort he would put into winning Allura’s hand, but there was no need to mention that to Abraxas.


	8. Chapter Eight: June 1943

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, folks, this is the 2nd to last chapter of "Come With Me Now". The first part of this series is significantly shorter than the other parts will be. This is meant to be a prologue of sorts, and depicts the more childish/innocent phase of Allura and Tom's relationship. We will start getting into the real action in the 2nd part of this series (both with the plot and the relationship), "The Devil's Courtship", which I will begin posting very soon. While I have already written several chapters for the next part of Tom and Allura's story, I just wanted to put it out there that at some point what I've posted will catch up with what I've written and I will not be able to post every single day at that point for obvious reasons. I do still plan to upload new chapters as frequently as possible when that day comes so never fear!
> 
> Random insider information, each part of this series is named after some of my favorite Irish songs pertaining to the devil, with the exception of part 1, which seemed very fitting considering I'm writing a story about TMR/Voldemort. He's devilish and the Gaunts are believed to be from Ireland. There has also been a lot of speculation that Salazar Slytherin was from Ireland as well...you get the point. The song title and artist along with a little excerpt of lyrics will always be included with the first update for each story if anyone wanted to know where the title of each story came from, if that's something that anyone cares about (though that's unlikely). 
> 
>  
> 
> *****TRIGGER WARNING***  
> **  
>  SUICIDE ATTEMPT/SELF HARM ARE PORTRAYED IN THIS CHAPTER. If this is something that will upset you or put you in a bad state of mind, PLEASE do not read this. If that's the case feel free to contact me so I can come up with an edited version of this chapter to send to you so you don't miss out on the story aside from that particular scene.
> 
> Anyway....happy reading! Comments, feedback, and constructive criticism are always welcome!

Chapter Eight: June, 1943

Exams had passed and the time for everyone to travel home for the summer had arrived. The twins were turning sixteen the next day, and Allura had become prone to full blown panic attacks. Parkinson paid her no mind, and openly bragged to the other boys about his contract with her being signed the next day. She had overheard him on her way to sit with Abraxas and Tom on the train, and she could hardly breathe when she entered their compartment. The girl nearly keeled over from the tight pain in her chest right when she sat down. Both boys had gotten used to such attacks in the last few days.

“You need to breathe, Allura.” Abraxas compelled his sister as she continued to gasp for air.

“Look at me, Allura.” Tom ordered as he took hold of her chin. Carefully, he turned the girl to face him.

“You’re alright, but you’re going to pass out if you don’t breathe. Eyes on me, and take deep breaths.” Tom consoled her through her panicked episode.

“Let’s read a book, shall we?” Tom suggested once she had calmed down a reasonable amount. For whatever reason, Allura was easier to quiet when Tom was the one to help her through her episodes. He was quickly growing tired of her anxiety and didn’t care to deal with it again very soon, so a distraction from her troubles was in order. Allura obediently took a book on ancient magical creatures out of her bag and began to read aloud for Tom.

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were both shocked at the state of their daughter when they met the trio at King’s Cross station. Clearly no one had bothered to write them about how quickly her health had been deteriorating.

“Abraxas, I’m shocked at you! Why didn’t you tell us she was so bad off?” Lucinda wailed in the carriage. 

“I’ve been too busy taking care of her, mother. The professors should have kept you informed, if you ask me. We’ve both been running ragged to get her through the end of the year on top of making sure we did well on our own exams.” Abraxas whined, gesturing to Tom to indicate that a team effort had been taking place on Allura’s behalf.

“Would someone please explain what the hell has been going on at that damned school?” Antonius barked, demanding answers from his children.

Finally, Allura spoke up. But she didn’t just speak. She had snapped and went into a rage.

“I’ll kill myself before I marry Parkinson. Do you hear me?” The girl roared at her father, suddenly finding strength that she hadn’t shown any sign of in months. The carriage was moving at full speed and quite a calamity took place when she reached for the door to throw herself out. Tom snaked his arm around her waist and pulled Allura onto his lap as Abraxas closed the carriage door once more. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were so horrified that neither could do anything except watch the scene unfold.

“Stop it, Allura.” Tom hissed as he turned her to look him in the eye. The girl continued to struggle, and it was fortunate that Tom had such a strong grip or she would have been able to attempt to jump out again. 

“Give her the potion, Abraxas.” Tom said finally when even he couldn’t calm the girl. Moments later, Abraxas put a small vial up to his sister’s lips and forced her to drink it as Tom fought to hold her still. Seconds later, Allura settled and was sound asleep in Tom’s arms.

“Slughorn gave it to me in case we needed to knock her out for a few hours. She’s only sleeping... for goodness sake, mother. Stop screaming.” Abraxas chided as he settled back into his seat.

“Has she been doing this often?” Antonius asked the two boys as he attempted to soothe his wife.

“Never like that. Usually she just has an anxiety attack and faints because she can’t breathe. She’s been distraught for months over this marriage contract. She doesn’t eat or sleep, as you can tell by her appearance, and she’s been having fits for weeks now. Apparently she is now getting violent as well and intends to commit suicide. I’ll never forgive either one of you if you hand her over to Parkinson tomorrow.” Abraxas explained coolly, making his stance very clear. He didn’t want a neurotic corpse for a sister any longer. 

“The signing is tomorrow. What will the other families think if we just abandon it now? But we can’t just let my baby live like this.” Lucinda cried out, feeling trapped between a rock and a hard place.

“I think she made it very clear that she won’t continue to live like this, Mrs. Malfoy. And dash what the other families think.” Tom interjected as he shifted in his seat so he was more comfortable under Allura’s weight. He moved her so her head rested on his shoulder, and he gently moved her hair out of her face.

“Tom’s right, dear. We should go speak with Mrs. Parkinson at once. We can at least delay the signing until next year. It’d be a disservice to her family if we hand Allura over to them when she’s in such a state. No announcement has been made yet so the others will be none the wiser.” Antonius agreed, 

“It’s settled, then. There’s no time to waste.” Abraxas said finally as the carriage pulled into their property. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy left right away for Parkinson Manor as Tom carried Allura to her room and put her to bed. It was already nine o’clock, and both boys were utterly exhausted.

“Allura should be knocked out for a while longer so it should be alright if we get some sleep. Dobby can watch over her for now.” Abraxas said with a sigh once Allura was safely tucked into her bed. 

Tom’s room was close to Allura’s, and he couldn’t sleep a wink. He could hear her sobbing almost non-stop once she awoke, but he didn’t feel the need to comfort her at the moment.

“Please don’t cry, Miss. Dobby will go with you to the new house and look after you.” Tom heard the small elf plead with the girl. The small piece of his heart that was still in his chest wrenched when he heard Allura cry out that she just wanted to die. Tom wished he could give her peace, but he couldn’t tell her for sure what was going to happen until the Malfoy’s returned.

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed in Tom’s room. The elf had apparated near his bed and nearly made him jump out of his skin.

“Master Riddle! Please come quickly, sir. Dobby tried to stop her!” He squealed in terror. Tom suddenly realized how quiet Allura had become, and he began to panic himself. He ran across the hall and threw her bedroom door open.

Tom found Allura on the floor by her bed, and both of her delicate wrists had been sliced open. The offending blade was still clutched in her hand, though her grip on the handle of the small dagger had become very loose. She was getting weaker every moment from the loss of blood. Thankfully, she hadn’t lost consciousness yet. Tom snatched the knife away from Allura and began casting healing spells to close the wounds.

“Dobby, get a blood rejuvenation potion quickly. Steal one from the infirmary at Hogwarts, if you must.” With a loud crack, the elf disapparated.

Tom crouched down to continue healing Allura. She was hardly strong enough to stop him, but he saw the silent plea in her eyes, begging him to just let her life go. He had successfully stopped the gashes from letting anymore blood escape, and there was nothing to do but wait for the elf to return.

He sat her up, keeping his arms wrapped around the girl so she would be in position to drink the rejuvenating draught as soon as it was available.

“Don’t you dare leave me.” Tom nearly begged as he did his best to keep Allura warm while they waited. If he had been a more emotional person, tears would have been falling freely from his eyes by now. She had been close enough to death to make Tom realize that he really was fond of Allura, a sentiment that he couldn’t completely hide from himself any longer. It hadn’t just been an act for quite some time, now that he bothered to think about it.

Dobby returned moments later and poured the potion down Allura’s throat with assistance from Tom.

“Dobby is sorry to burden you so, Master Riddle. No one else was close enough to help so quickly.” Dobby apologized, sensing how upset Tom was by the whole ordeal. 

“It’s fine. Go wake Abraxas and bring him to me, please.” Tom answered coldly, dismissing the elf.

The boys had stayed with Allura for the rest of the night knowing all too well that she would try to take her own life again if given the chance, stubborn as she was. Thankfully, Dobby returned to make beds for them on the floor, and he had assured them both that he could keep watch and wake them if needed. Dobby silently cleaned up the blood that was all over the carpet while the three teenagers were asleep, and even more quietly he wept for his poor, heartbroken Miss Malfoy.

Later that morning, Allura woke Tom by gently nudging his arm. He sat up, noted that Abraxas was still asleep, and turned back to Allura.

“Tom, I...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to get dragged into things last night.” Allura whispered, having at least a vague idea of what Tom had to go through because of her attempted suicide.

“Don’t you ever try that again, Allura. I mean it. The mere sight of you like that nearly did me in. I understand how hopeless you’ve been feeling but it was terribly selfish of you, and you have no right to hurt your family so. Death is for the weak, and I do not appreciate you acting like a coward last night.” Tom scolded. Although his words were harsh it was with a gentle hand that he took hold of Allura’s wrists to inspect the remaining damage. He didn’t care for the scars that had been left behind but Tom was pleased with how well his healing charms had worked.

“I know I shouldn’t have done that to anyone, let alone you. But I would rather die than end up worse off with Parkinson.” Allura confessed in all honesty despite the fact that she knew the last part of the statement would likely vex her friend. Surprisingly, Tom didn’t get angry. Instead, he tenderly traced her new scars with his fingers.

“Listen to me, Allura. I’ll do everything I can to ensure your safety, and you know that Abraxas will do the same. I’ll hide you away myself if I have to. But your actions last night were completely unnecessary. Your parents went to speak with Parkinson’s mother last night to negotiate at least a delay on the signing. We won’t have any answers until they return but they are fighting the contract as well. Just do what you must today so things will be as easy as possible.” 

Allura only nodded in response, doing her best to fight the tears that were clearly ready to spill out of her eyes.

The contract signing was meant to take place before the twin’s birthday party that afternoon. Mrs. Malfoy had planned a lovely tea out in the garden to celebrate both occasions. All of the important pureblood families would be in attendance.

Allura’s false smile for greeting guests faltered when the Parkinson’s arrived with her parents.

“Hello, Allura.” Reginaldus greeted the girl rather coldly. He didn’t look to be in a pleasant mood at all.

“Reginaldus.” She returned the curt greeting with a nod. She only managed to keep her composure because Tom and Abraxas were at her side. No mention of the contract was made and Mrs. Malfoy escorted the Parkinson’s out to the garden, leaving Mr. Malfoy behind to speak with his children.

“There will be no contract this year.” He assured Allura briefly, and all three teenagers finally exhaled in relief. The four of them made their way out to the garden to join the birthday party.

Throughout the afternoon, Allura refused to be away from her brother or Tom for even a second. She knew how angry Parkinson was and didn’t want to find out what would happen once he got her alone. Fortunately, the tension between him and the trio went unnoticed among the other guests. The party was rather uneventful, aside from silent concern for Allura’s deteriorated health that greatly hindered the party’s atmosphere. Parkinson sulked the entire time and kept to conversing with his friends, and he never even approached the trio to wish the twins a happy birthday. 

After the guests departed, Allura ran to her parents and hugged them both without warning. 

“You just worry about getting better, darling. Nothing shall be done at all until next summer, and Reginaldus is free to take another bride before then.” Lucinda cooed as she stroked her daughter’s hair affectionately.

“Yes, mother. But what about me?” Allura replied with concern.

“The same goes for you. If there is no contract yet your are both free to choose someone else before the deadline.” Antonius explained with a nod of confirmation.

“Thank you.” Allura said as she looked up at her parents gratefully. Just then, Abraxas and Tom joined the three Malfoys.

“Come along, Allura. You didn’t eat enough at the party. We’ll have Dobby prepare something for you.” Tom said sweetly and offered the girl his arm. She replied with a nod and a soft smile, and left for the kitchen on his arm.

“He certainly does make a point to take care of her, doesn’t he? I know I don’t have any say on the matter but she’d be better off with Tom than anyone else, if you ask me.” Abraxas suggested smoothly to his parents once they were out of earshot. He was intent on planting that seed in his parent’s minds as quickly as possible.

“You don’t suppose he would be interested, do you?” Lucinda asked hopefully, obviously having been thinking the same thing since the moment Tom retrieved her daughter to go have a meal.

“I’ve never thought to ask him, or her for that matter. Nevertheless, they are obviously fond of each other and would be a smart match. Even if romantic feelings are not involved they could be happy together.” Abraxas explained with a shrug, feigning to have just now thought of the idea. Truth be told, he had gone over this conversation in his head at least a hundred times in the past few weeks. “Anyway, I see no reason to not let things unfold between them and see what happens. It was just a thought.”

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to watch for any signs that they’d like to marry. I won’t pretend to wish her to marry Reginaldus after everything that’s happened. And did you see the menacing way he kept staring at her at the party? I don’t like it one bit, Antonius.” Lucinda agreed with her son and looked imploringly at her husband.

“There is the issue of his unknown lineage, Lucinda. There isn’t even a record of who his parents are.” Antonius interjected, making a point to not let his wife get her hopes up too high over something that might never come to fruition.

“I don’t give a damn about that. He’s brilliant and guaranteed to have a successful career. It’s also very clear that he cares for Allura and he would see to it that she would have a good life. If breeding is all that matters then we might as well hand her dead body over to the Parkinsons. I must insist that permission be granted if Tom does ask for her hand, my dear husband.” Lucinda scolded, a blush creeping across her cheeks. 

“As you wish, my love.” Antonius gave in with a sigh. “But you mustn’t get your hopes up. It’s still too early to tell if they’ll even want to be together. He thinks of her as a sister for all we know.”

“I would only buy that if she were an ugly girl.” Lucinda countered with a snort before sauntering to her bedroom for a nap.

Not long after finishing her meal, Allura set out to find Antonius.

“Father?” She called out as she knocked on the door to his private study.

“Enter.” Antonius’ deep voice answered from inside the room. Quietly, Allura slipped inside to speak to him.

“What is it?” Antonius asked as he glanced up from the papers he had been shuffling through.

“This may sound odd, father, but I believe you have something in here that rightfully belongs to Tom.” Allura started sheepishly and peered at him though her long eyelashes.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Allura.” Antonius said with an indignant sigh as he removed his reading glasses.

“Er...well...like I said, this may seem strange. But I think the diary in that case over there might be his.” Allura explained and pointed to an old leather bound diary with a large serpent shaped lock on the front cover that was kept in a glass case.

“You can’t be serious.” He said incredulously when he realized that she was referring to Slytherin’s diary.

“I am serious, father. Merope Gaunt, the last known female descendant of Slytherin in Britain, died on the same date that Tom was born, and she was the same age as Tom’s mother at the time. And if he can open the diary...well. It wouldn’t hurt to let him try, don’t you think?” Allura reasoned with her father, hoping that he would agree to remove the old volume from the case. 

“This sounds absolutely crazy but you may go get him. If you wish to prove yourself wrong then be my guest.” Antonius scoffed but retrieved the diary from the case.

“Oh, thank you father!” The girl squealed before running out of the room to get Tom. She found him in the library and grabbed his hand to yank him to Antonius’ study.

“Allura! What’s gotten into you?” Tom cried out as he tried to yank himself out of her grip.

“Just shut up and come with me. You won’t regret it.” Allura shouted and proceeded to pull the boy into her father’s office.

“For goodness sake! You nearly ripped my arm off. What is going on?” Tom demanded as they entered the room and Allura released him. He rubbed his shoulder to ease the pain and looked to Antonius for an explanation as to why she had lost her head.

“This book has not been opened for centuries. Allura rather insists that you can open it, so give it a try.” Antonius sighed and handed the leather book to the young man. 

Tom was baffled, and looked back and forth between both of them before accepting the diary.

“There’s no place for a key…” Tom mused as he inspected the lock. It took a few minutes, but an idea struck Tom and he began hissing in Parseltongue at the book. It had been years since he talked to snakes but it seemed worth a try. Suddenly, the lock slithered open and the serpent assumed the shape of an S on the front cover.

“There you are, sir.” Tom said, unimpressed as he made to hand the book back to Antonius. He had thought that the old man just wanted to read the book himself. He realized that was not the case when he saw that Antonius’ mouth was hanging open in disbelief, and Allura’s eyes looked like they would pop out of her head.

“Go get your mother.” Antonius ordered, still in shock. Allura obeyed and left to get Lucinda.

“Sir, would you please just tell me what’s going on?” Tom asked, growing more and more impatient by the second. Allura and her mother ran into the room just then, and Lucinda squealed with delight when she saw the opened diary in Tom’s hands. 

“Oh, it is true!” Lucinda cried out and ran over to kiss both of his cheeks. “I knew you were special right from the beginning! Didn’t I tell you just so, Antonius?” Lucinda cooed and she hugged Tom. 

“Have you all gone mad?” Tom cried out in frustration, still clueless.

“Let him breathe, mother.” Allura cried out as she made her way over and pulled the woman off of him. “You don’t know what this is, do you?’ She asked Tom and gestured toward the book. 

“Obviously not. Would you care to enlighten me?” Tom snapped, letting his agitation show.

“That is the diary of Salazar Slytherin himself. Only his descendant would be able to open it.” Antonius finally spoke up, now that everything that had just happened was settling into his head. 

Tom was as equally shocked as everyone else. Sure, Allura had suggested that he was related to Slytherin, but now he had incontrovertible proof of it. 

“What’s all the shouting about?” Abraxas asked as he entered the study as well. “Woah…” He stopped dead in his tracks as he took in the scene before him.

“Thank Merlin...noble Slytherin’s bloodline is alive and well!” Lucinda cried out and kissed Tom on the forehead. “You can bet he would be incredibly proud of the likes of you.” She added and stroked Tom’s cheek with the back of her hand. 

“No, no, son. It belongs to you.” Antonius said gleefully when Tom tried once again to hand the book back to the older man so it could be put back into the case. 

“Thank you, sir.” Tom answered, still baffled by everything that had transpired. 

The Malfoys had consented when Tom insisted that his lineage be kept a secret until he chose to start telling people about it himself. The last thing he needed was suspicion surrounding him every time something bad happened in his vacinity. 

“Of course, mate. We wouldn’t dream of betraying your trust.” Abraxas agreed and clapped his friend on the back. 

Tom spent the rest of the afternoon in his bedroom reading the diary. The book had a spell cast on it to continue recording the events that took place in Slytherin’s bloodline after his death. The last pages recounted significant moments in Tom’s life, so he decided to read backwards so he might discover more about his more immediate family. 

Tom discovered that his mother was, in fact, Merope Gaunt. After releasing Tom’s father from the influence of a love potion, he abandoned her and returned to Little Hangleton. Alone and frightened, Merope travelled to London and gave birth to Tom before her death. “I hope he looks like his papa.” were Merope’s last words. Based on the sketch of his mother, Tom thought it safe to assume that she had received her dying wish. She really was an ugly woman, in Tom’s opinion, and he looked absolutely nothing like her or her immediate family. 

Truth be told, Tom was angry about how things had transpired between his parents. He was angry that his father was a scoundrel of a muggle and he was even more angry that he had abandoned Merope. Entries about Tom Riddle Sr. ended after the time period that he abandoned his pregnant wife, so there was no telling if he was still alive or not. If he was, he could most likely be found in Little Hangleton in the big mansion located on the hill that overlooked the small town. 

Tom was also angry about how abused and stupid his mother had apparently always been. She was weak, and Tom felt ashamed of her. No wonder his grandfather and uncle mistreated her so. Tom wasn’t exactly proud of those two either, but at least they weren’t weak like his mother and father. His grandfather, Marvolo had been imprisoned in Azkaban years ago, but there was a chance that his uncle, Morfin, was still living just outside of Little Hangleton as well. Tom would have to consider whether or not it would be worth it to seek out his remaining relatives. 

The next afternoon, Allura and Abraxas set out onto the grounds for a walk. It had been a while since they had spent any substantial time alone together, so their outing was long overdue. They talked quietly as they walked through the forest on the edge of the Malfoy’s property.

“Don’t think for a moment that I’ve forgotten about your recent attempts against your life. You know how much you doing that has hurt me and I have yet to forgive you for it, if I’m being honest.” Abraxas scolded his twin, having finally found the right moment to get on her case for hurting herself so badly.

“I’m sorry Abraxas...it was very selfish of me to even attempt it. I was so caught up in despair and I knew it was highly likely that Parkinson would have killed me at some point, as savage as that lot gets over small things. I thought it best to not give him the satisfaction and do away with myself instead. As I said, it was terribly selfish of me to not even think of how it would hurt others.” Allura apologized with utmost sincerity. 

“I can’t imagine living without you, ‘Lura. You’re the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met but I need you around, just the same. Please don’t ever try to abandon me again.” Abraxas pleaded, already knowing how incomplete he would feel if his twin was no longer in his life. 

“I promise.” Allura said with a soft smile and she took hold of her brother’s arm as they turned back to head through the woods and to the manor’s back lawn.

Just then, a heavy rain started to fall from the sky and the twins took off running for the house.

“Oh!” Allura cried out as she slipped and fell into a puddle of mud near the house. Abraxas couldn’t help but roar with laughter at his mud-covered sister. 

“Laugh at my misfortune if you must.” Allura called out with a laugh. Then, she scooped mud up into her hand and launched it at Abraxas.

“You little devil!” He cried out and flung a handful back at her, thus starting a full on mud fight. 

It was rather undignified behavior, but they were already dirty and no one important was around to judge them for it. It had been years since the twins had played in such a manner, and all of the troubles that had been plaguing them melted away with their laughter.

Tom heard Allura squealing and glanced out of his bedroom window to find the pair chucking mud at one another like small children. Tom never had anyone want to even attempt to play with him like that growing up, so he couldn’t understand why Allura and Abraxas were behaving so. With a sigh, he retrieved an umbrella and made his way out to the twins to break it up.

They hadn’t noticed Tom approaching until he stopped nearby and cleared his throat. Horrified, the twins realized that one of them had accidentally flung a bit of mud onto Tom’s face. 

“Are you two quite finished?” Tom scolded as he wiped his cheek with his sleeve. 

“We were only having a bit of fun and got carried away.” Allura explained as Abraxas helped her up off the ground. 

“We didn’t mean to disturb you, mate. My clumsy sister fell in the mud and threw a fit when I laughed at her.” Abraxas chuckled, hoping that a bit of humor would make Tom less tense over the incident.

Truth be told, Tom wasn’t as annoyed as he originally thought. The sight of them covered head to toe in mud did prove to be slightly amusing.

“You’re both dead if mud get tracked all over the carpets in the house.” Tom pointed out, knowing how much Lucinda loved her expensive rugs. The twins looked sheepishly back at Tom like two children that got caught making mischief. Allura looked especially embarrassed. 

“Well, come on then. Best to get cleaned up quickly before your parents see the state of you.” Tom ordered finally and turned to go back into the house. The twins followed, and Tom couldn’t find it in himself to be angry with their poor attempts to stifle the giggles coming from behind him. They had apparently needed a good romp in the mud together to lift their spirits, and Tom was just glad to have not been involved in their shenanigans himself.

That night at dinner, everyone seemed pleased by how much food Allura served herself. It was a great relief that her appetite had returned now that she was out of harm’s way, at least temporarily. 

“Well, it’s been an eventful couple of days, hasn’t it?” Antonius chuckled as he looked around affectionately at his brood. 

“It certainly has been.” Lucinda agreed before taking a bite of ham. “You boys will be starting your internships come monday, so I don’t think we’ll be running out of surprises anytime soon. We’ll be attending dinner at the Lestrange home tomorrow night. Elise is celebrating her engagement to Charles Yaxley. Party season is among us.” She added once she finished chewing and swallowed her food. 

“Perhaps Parkinson will fall in love with some stupid sap at one of the gatherings and leave me alone once and for all.” Allura chimed in hopefully. 

“If I may, is it necessary to have a date at such parties?” Tom asked, careful to hide how anxious he was over the prospect of being the only boy without a date.

“It is required at more formal gatherings, though you won’t need a date for dinner tomorrow night. Is there a young lady you’re interested in? We’ll find a bride for you, yet.” Antonius answered, suggesting that they intended for Tom to partake in elite traditions even though he wasn’t their “real” son. 

“I’m not sure...it seems as though most of the girls at school are already engaged.” Tom replied with a shrug, feigning indifference for girls. 

“We could go to the parties together, if you’d like.” Allura suggested, since she had no plans to escort Parkinson at any time.

“That’s a splendid idea!” Lucinda exclaimed. Truth be told, she hoped that the arrangement would lead to her grandchildren being descendants of Salazar Slytherin. Now, more than ever, she wanted Tom and Allura to fall in love.

“That’s settled, then. We’ll make the arrangements if you do wish to pursue a young lady to marry and you’ve got your date for the time being. You have nothing to fear, dear boy.” Antonius said finally. He knew what his wife was thinking but didn’t dare mention it to the children. If they were to end up together it wouldn’t happen by force and they’d have to let the pair come together on their own terms.

“Thank you, sir. I must confess that I’m really not familiar with what is to be expected of me as an outsider that’s just beginning to rendezvous with the elite.” Tom admitted to the group. 

“We’ll see to it that you’re well prepared for whatever comes your way, sweetheart. You needn’t worry about a single thing.” Lucinda cooed as Abraxas and Allura nodded in agreement. 

“It’s probably a good thing that you don’t wish to reveal your heritage to everyone just yet. The other boys might all lose their brides-to-be. Can you imagine the ruckus that would happen with all of the girls fighting over you?” Antonius cackled at the thought, amused beyond belief.

“That sounds like quite a mess, indeed.” Tom replied with a charming smile.

“And what about you, Abraxas? Any girls you’re interested in yet? You’ll have to look for someone in the year behind you, of course.” 

“Gianna Rowle is quite pretty. She just finished her fourth year, of course. But she’s already fifteen so a contract could be signed next October when she turns sixteen if she’s agreeable.” Abraxas mused before taking a bite of mashed potatoes. 

“She’s so stupid, ‘Braxas! She’s the oldest in her year because she was held back and had to repeat second year!” Allura retorted in disbelief.

“I care nothing for her brain. I’d prefer to marry someone that’s nice to look at and easy to get along with instead of a stubborn know-it-all like you. Heaven help the poor bloke that gets stuck with the likes of you.” He argued with a scowl at his sister. 

“That’s enough, you two. I won’t have any poor manners at this table.” Lucinda cut the twins off, ending the argument before it could go any further.

“Her father owns a rather successful apothecary in Knockturn Alley, actually. I could stop by next week and ask if Gianna has been betrothed yet. Perhaps her father would allow you to escort her for Walburga Black’s birthday party in two weeks if she doesn’t already have a date.” Antonius suggested, having chosen to ignore his children’s brief bickering.

“Yes, thank you father. Perhaps I could go with you? I’d like to say hello to Gianna if she’s there in the shop.” Abraxas asked eagerly, hoping he could begin to charm the girl as quickly as possible.

“It’s a plan.” Antonius nodded with consent for his son’s wishes. 

Shortly after dinner, Madame Maulkin arrived to deliver Tom’s summer wardrobe. She had saved his measurements when she fitted Tom with a tuxedo for the Malfoy’s Christmas party, and she had filled a rather large order for the new season per Lucinda’s instructions. 

“You are far too kind, Mrs. Malfoy.” Tom said as he thanked Lucinda for his new clothes. 

“Not at all, sweetheart. I can’t stand the thought of the school being in charge of your attire after the state I found you in last winter.” She cooed as Madame Maulkin and her daughter worked to adjust the sleeves and pant lengths accordingly for the growth spurt Tom had in the spring.

“You’re devilishly handsome, young man.” Madame Maulkin gushed as she looked Tom over to ensure the suit he had on fit perfectly. “I ought to hire you to be photographed for our autumn catalogue, if Mrs. Malfoy will allow it.”

“Oh, wouldn’t that be something!” Lucinda exclaimed and giggled at the thought of one of her boys becoming a model for the season’s latest fashions. 

“You should do it, Tom! If anyone could sell a sharp looking suit it’d be you. I’ll be photographed as well.” Allura agreed with the other ladies, although Tom didn’t seem too keen to accept the offer.

“I don’t know…” Tom trailed off, unsure if he wanted so much attention for his looks. This was a new insecurity he had gained after reading about his muggle father’s identity. 

“Don’t be silly, dear. It would only be one section of the magazine. The clothes you are photographed in will be yours to keep, I’ll give you an extra set of school robes, and you’ll be paid twenty galleons for your time. It could be finished in a couple of hours.” Madame Maulkin interjected, hoping to convince the boy.

“Come on, Tom. It’ll be neat. We can do our photo shoots on the same day.” Allura pleaded, finding the idea to be a great one.

“Oh...alright. I suppose I could give up one afternoon to be of assistance.” Tom finally agreed, though he was still uncomfortable with modeling for the most popular clothing store in Diagon Alley. 

“Splendid! I’ll fit my new designs to your sizes and we can take photographs next Saturday.” Madame Maulkin’s daughter cheered in approval. 

“Very well.” Tom replied curtly and let out a sigh. It seemed useless to argue with both Lucinda and Allura on the matter and he thought it would be less of a hassle if he just gave in to their wishes. 

“I like this suit the best. You should wear it to dinner tomorrow night.” Allura complimented as she looked over the new outfit that had just been fitted on Tom. It was a cobalt gray that slightly resembled the suit he had borrowed from Abraxas months ago. The dark color still enhanced Tom’s cerulean eyes beautifully and the silk tie matched them perfectly. 

“I shall, of course, accept your advice. You’re certainly more familiar with fashion than I am.” Tom agreed, liking the way his own reflection looked in the mirror and the way Allura’s mirrored-image gazed admiringly back at him. 

“This is a difficult design and color for most boys to pull off, but I must say it looks stunning with your light complexion and bright eyes. Absolutely impeccable. You were right to insist that we deliver this one as well, young lady.” Madame Maulkin added the last part and looked to Allura. 

Tom couldn’t help but smirk at his friend when it became apparent that she had specifically chosen this ensemble to suit the style that she liked him to wear. A blush crept across her cheeks when she glanced shyly at Tom through her long eyelashes, and Allura quickly left the room to save herself from further embarrassment. 

Lucinda noticed the silent exchange and though she didn’t say anything, she was thrilled by Tom instigating such a flirtatious glance in her daughter’s direction. It was apparent that Allura was very shy about her attraction to the boy, but Mrs. Malfoy suspected that he was more bold than she originally thought and he would begin the pursuit sooner rather than later. Yes, the friendship between the two teenagers was slowly but surely blossoming into something more in her opinion.


	9. Chapter Nine: June 1943 (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY...last chapter before we get to the really fun stuff in part 2! Just a few things I wanted to point out...
> 
> 1\. This chapter introduces a character with a severe stutter. I felt the need to put a disclaimer out there that I am NOT making fun of/mocking people with speech impediments, and I do not condone any variation of bullying whatsoever. That will become more clear later on in this series, and he's actually one of my favorite original characters thus far. He is the uncle of Peter Pettrigrew, if anyone is curious, although I'm rather insistent on keeping him as a character we can enjoy and feel endeared to. 
> 
> 2\. There are some original characters that are either briefly mentioned in this chapter, or will be introduced in part two. You never know who's going to be important and who was just mentioned in passing for a different reason!

The Lestrange dinner party arrived in the blink of an eye, and the Malfoy family arrived fashionably late with Tom in tow. All eyes were on the group as they took their seats at the table. Rumors had already begun to circulate that they had abandoned a contract with the Parkinsons, and Mrs. Parkinson and her son wouldn’t even look at the Malfoys in their embarrassment. Reginaldus was overheard insisting to his friends that he would still marry Allura, but they had decided to delay the arrangements until her health improved. During dessert, a group of girls whispered among each other feverishly and stole glances at Tom and Allura chatting casually toward the middle of the table.

Tom had no use for idle gossip, but he wasn’t displeased to find that at least half of the party guests seemed to be discretely implying that he had stolen Allura away from her original groom-to-be. “Let the Parkinson swine drown in embarrassment over that tidbit of misinformation that’s been spreading like wildfire.” Tom thought to himself coldly. It was of no consequence to him, anyway. 

After dinner, the parents retired to the parlor and the teenagers headed out to the guest house to celebrate Elise and Charles’ engagement in their own fashion. 

While underage drinking was strictly prohibited by law, it appeared that the elite looked the other way for the children that were old enough to enter marriage contracts. Tom was surprised to find the kitchen of the guest house fully stocked with a number of alcoholic choices as well as snacks. Music had already begun to blast from the living room, and several couples had started dancing with drinks in hand.

“Would you like a drink?” Allura asked Tom politely, sensing that he didn’t know what to do with himself now that they were at what was quickly becoming a wild gathering with no supervision from the parents. She thought perhaps a bit of alcohol would calm his nerves.

“I suppose one wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t realize that you and Abraxas partake in such things.” He added almost disapprovingly.

“Oh, I don’t drink. Abraxas on the other hand…” Allura trailed off at the sight of her twin drinking straight from a rather large glass bottle. “Well, let’s just say that you might want to avoid fire whiskey if you don’t want to be as sick as he will be tomorrow.”

Tom nodded and accepted a shot glass filled with a clear liquid from Charles Yaxley. He inspected the beverage and suspected that it might be vodka, though he wasn’t sure. He had never tried alcohol (aside from butterbeer, which didn’t really count by anyone’s standards). He lifted the small glass to his lips and downed the liquor in one gulp. As soon as he swallowed a loud and rather boisterous giggle escaped Tom’s mouth, much to Allura’s amusement.

“Giggle water.” Allura explained with a chuckle as more giggles began to sound throughout the room. 

“Tastes terrible. Why is it so sweet?” Tom complained and took the bottle of butterbeer that Allura had just started sipping on so he could get the sickening sweet flavor out of his mouth.

“Some people like sweet drinks.” Allura answered with a shrug as he took a big swig of her butterbeer before handing the bottle back to her. 

“It’s safe to say that I certainly don’t.” Tom said with a note of finality, indicating that he wasn’t up for trying anything else that would taste so unappealing to him.

“What would you like instead?” Allura asked, assuming that he had probably been to a party with alcohol before.

“I couldn’t say. That was my first taste of liquor and so far I’m not impressed by any means.” Tom admitted quietly to the young lady at his side. 

Before Allura could relay her surprise to Tom, a tall brunette girl wearing a red beret strode over and threw her arms around the petite blonde.

“Allura, dahling! Eet eez so good to see you.” The obviously French girl cooed and released Allura from the embrace to look her over. “You ‘ave lost so much weight since Chreesmas. You must tell me your secret! Skin and bones eez fashionable these days, no? And ‘oo eez the ‘andsome one you ‘ave ‘ere?” She asked, looking Tom over with hungry eyes.

“This is my friend, Tom Riddle. He’s staying with my family for the summer.” Allura introduced her companion, but was cut off before she could introduce the French girl to Tom.

“I am Dominique Zabini, cousin of Elise Lestrange.” Dominique introduced herself flirtatiously and held her hand out for Tom to kiss. Her smile faltered when Tom gave her hand a small shake, clearly refusing to kiss her in greeting.

“You Brit boys are so, ‘ow do you say, free-geed? We could ‘ave a good time tonight, you and me.” The intoxicated French girl slurred, attempting to pronounce the word “frigid” correctly in English, to no avail. 

“It’s frigid, Dominique. And Tom doesn’t appear to be interested. Perhaps one of the Selwyn boys would suit your tastes better.” Allura pronounced the word correctly for her old friend before taking Tom’s arm and leading him away.

“Sorry about her...she ah...well, she’s a bit of a floozy when she’s had a few drinks, if I’m being honest. Nice girl though, when she isn’t trying to get in someone’s pants.” Allura chuckled as she explained to Tom, who looked thoroughly disgusted by the brunette’s advances. 

“A more dignified approach might serve her well, if you ask me.” Tom said with a shudder, feeling rather “icky” after the brief exchange. He looked around at the rowdy group and couldn’t manage to suppress a quick sneer.

“You hate this, don’t you?” Allura asked with a knowing smile, having picked up on the fact that Tom wasn’t in the mood to party.

“Very much so. Everyone is acting so idiotic.” Tom confirmed with a curt nod as he watched Abraxas and one of the other boys attempt to balance an empty bottle on their noses. Apparently the winner of their trivial contest would get to kiss Walburga Black.

“Come on, then. We’ll go for a walk instead.” Allura suggested as she took Tom’s arm and they exited the guest house. She wasn’t too fond of the famous “Lestrange Ragers” either, being one to abstain from alcohol, and was happy to to wander around the grounds with Tom. 

“Dinner was pleasant, at least.” Tom said as they made their way down the walkway that lead away from the main house. 

“Not so much for Parkinson. Did you notice it too?” Allura asked as she sat down on a swing set located on the far side of the eastern portion of the property.

“He did look rather put out, didn’t he?” Tom agreed and stood behind the girl so he could gently push her on the swing. He had never done this himself but he had seen other kids doing so on the playground together back at the orphanage.

“I really hope he doesn’t come after me.” Allura confessed, letting her worry over the ongoing situation be known to her closest friend.

“You know I wouldn’t let him hurt you, don’t you?” Tom asked quietly, pretending to be hiding hurt feelings.

“Of course I know that, Tom. And Abraxas wouldn’t either, but that doesn’t mean that Parkinson couldn’t corner me when you two aren’t with me. “ Allura replied quietly and gazed up at Tom. He could see the fright in her eyes at the mere thought of being caught alone with Parkinson.

“You’ll be alright, Allura. Try not to worry so much.” Tom said in a feeble attempt to put her at ease. 

“You’re right. I can’t go around being scared all the time over things that might not even happen.” Allura conceded and resolved to put the thought out of her mind. 

“How long do you suppose it’ll be before we get to go home?” Tom asked casually, still not very happy to have to neglect his reading for the night.

“It’ll be a while...usually the parents stay in guest bedrooms and our group crashes wherever they might land in the guest house until the next day.” Allura explained apologetically. She knew Tom wasn’t having a very good time and wished she had thought to make other arrangements.

Tom glanced at his wristwatch to see that it was nearly two o’clock in the morning. He let out a sigh and sat down on the swing next to the one Allura was already seated on. “Well, at least it’s a nice night out. We’ve probably still got hours before everyone heads home.”

“I’m sorry, Tom. I didn’t realize that you dislike parties so much. I’ll stay out here with you until we leave if you’d like.” Allura apologized, knowing that it would be a long night yet.

“It’s alright. I don’t mind your company, and it’s quiet out here.” Tom replied with a shrug. Despite his displeasure over the situation he knew that it couldn’t be helped.

“Have you read anything interesting in Slytherin’s diary?” Allura asked conversationally in an attempt to distract Tom from the less than ideal circumstances they found themselves in.

“Actually, there are several entries that look quite promising. I’d like to find the Chamber of Secrets when we go back to school.” Tom informed her, glad to have someone to tell about his mission that he could trust aside from Abraxas.

“So the chamber is real? The school has been searched several times and no one’s been able to find any sign of it. All of the books I’ve read say it’s just a legend.” Allura asked with a strong edge of curiosity as she slipped her high heels off of her feet.

“It is. In the 1700’s there was a Corvinus Gaunt that secretly enhanced the hiding place of the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets with new plumbing fixtures so it would be more difficult to find. The diary didn’t state a specific location but I suspect that the entrance can be found in one of the bathrooms.” Tom explained further as he glanced up at the stars.

“Hm...I don’t know much about it but I’ll help you look for it.” Allura replied and squished her feet into the sand.

“Would you?” He asked as he watched the girl’s small feet move back and forth as she played absentmindedly with the sand.

“I don’t see why not. You probably shouldn’t be caught wandering around in the girl’s bathrooms.” Allura chuckled and planted her feet onto the ground so she could stand up. “Do you want to walk some more? There’s a boat house by the lake we could have a look at.”

“We don’t have anything better to do.” Tom answered with a sigh and stood up as well. Once she picked her shoes up off the ground Allura lead the way to the lake. 

“It’s really nice here at night.” Allura mused, never having had an opportunity to ditch the party before. Abraxas always insisted that she not wander around unaccompanied at night while everyone was drinking so heavily.

“It’s not so bad. Although I would rather be at home with a book if given a choice. Still, it’s much better out here than it was in the guest house.” Tom agreed and walked with her more contentedly than he would have cared to admit. 

The boat house wasn’t anything special, but the pair did find a blanket inside that they could sit on, at the very least. They stretched the fabric out onto the grass by the dock and plopped down to rest. Before long, Allura fell asleep. She must have felt safe with Tom to be able to do so, because there was no way he could imagine falling asleep out on the open grounds of the property like that. Tom sighed and rested his arm under his head so he could comfortably look at the constellations in the sky. 

The air started to get a bit chilly as dawn approached, and though she didn’t wake Allura instinctively inched closer to Tom so his body heat would warm her. It really wasn’t a good time to have a sleeveless dress on. Tom sat up to remove his jacket and laid it over her torso so she wouldn’t get sick. He at least had a long sleeve shirt on so he felt fine without the extra layer. 

In the silence, Tom thought about how much his life had changed. He was no longer some pitiful orphan with no one to care about him outside of school. He would never have to even give a sideways glance at Wool’s Orphanage again. He was to begin an internship in Mr. Malfoy’s office with Abraxas the following Monday, so he would have his own career option already in place after graduation if we wished to pursue a position as an auror, and he would have a decent portion of monthly wages that he would earn each summer until then. On top of everything else, the results of his search for his lineage were better than anything he could have ever dreamed of. Tom felt like he was on top of the world, and all of his desires were his for the taking. It was exactly like he thought it would be back in the days when he sat alone in his tiny room at the orphanage and could only wish that his life would change for the better someday.

Allura briefly stirred, though she didn’t wake up this time either, and murmured something that sounded an awful lot like “Tom”. Since there was no one else to see, and the girl was still fast asleep so she would be none the wiser either, Tom momentarily dropped his unfeeling facade and leaned over her. “I’m here.” He whispered before placing a feather-light kiss on Allura’s forehead. She gave a contented sigh and visibly curled closer to him, as though her instincts demanded that she stay near him. He watched her for a few minutes, but turned away from her sleeping form once more as the sun began to rise. He didn’t want to risk her eyes fluttering open because of the light and finding him gazing longingly at her.

He could never show true emotional tenderness for anyone so openly. He just never had it in him, not even as a small child. But Tom supposed that he could steal a moment or two to privately express his fondness for this girl, in particular. What harm would it do if no one else knew it ever happened? His mask would be back in its rightful place when she did wake and everything would be as it always had been, as far as he was concerned. 

Tom had to admit, despite the fact that his goals trumped everything else and he couldn’t afford to drop his facade, he was beginning to feel for Allura. To some extent it was frightening, and it definitely went against everything that Tom ever believed in. But, here he was wishing to be someone else so he could wrap his arms around his lovely companion and kiss her awake without ruining everything he set out to accomplish in his lifetime. There was no denying that he wanted her for himself for more than just the different ways that he could use her for his own gain, despite everything.

Tom forced such thoughts out of his mind by the time the sun finished rising, and he took his jacket off of her and put it back on himself. It wouldn’t do for her to know he had given up his jacket for her either.

“And where were you two all night?” Abraxas teased as he stumbled off the porch of the guest house onto the lawn to greet Tom and Allura.

“We went to the playground and then sat out by the boat house. I’m sure you can understand that Tom didn’t want to be anywhere near such a rowdy group. Jesus, ‘Braxas. You’re still drunk.” Allura answered his question before beginning to scold her twin.

“Yooou be quiet, Miss Priss. Not everyone feels the need to pretend to be an angel like you. I am what I am, and this devil enjoys whiskey.” Abraxas slurred and playfully pushed Allura.

“Shut up.” Allura snapped before pushing her brother, a blush creeping across her face as Tom watched the snarky exchange. Abraxas only laughed and followed Tom and Allura back out to the Malfoy’s carriage. 

“You would be wise to keep your hands to yourself, Abraxas.” Tom scolded his friend when he made to shove his sister once again. Tom certainly did not intend to allow Abraxas to touch his things, even in jest. His icy tone sobered Abraxas slightly, and the blonde boy settled down a little. Abraxas knew better than to pick a fight by being disobedient.

“Thank you.” Allura muttered her gratitude to Tom and rolled her eyes as they watched Abraxas fall several times as he attempted to stumble into the carriage to go home. Neither felt the need to help him, given that he had put himself in such a state. 

“Don’t mention it.” Tom replied with a curt nod before entering the carriage as well. Just before Allura could climb in and take her seat, Abraxas fell back out of the carriage and promptly vomited on the ground. 

“And you wonder why I don’t drink anymore.” Allura scoffed and stepped over her sick brother to take her seat.

Monday rolled around much faster than Tom would have liked. Truth be told, he was nervous to begin his internship, although he would never admit the fact to anyone.

“You both look so mature and professional in your work clothes.” Lucinda cooed as she appraised Abraxas and Tom before they took their seats at the table for breakfast.

“Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy.” Tom said with a dashing grin, hoping to come off as being appreciative enough for the compliment. He didn’t particularly care if she thought he looked good, but he would have to continue to endear the woman further to him and encourage the bond that she clearly wanted if he was to maintain his favorable position with the Malfoy’s. If he had to pretend to value her opinion then so be it.

“Eggs?” Allura offered politely as she passed the platter to Abraxas and Tom’s side of the table.

“Yes, thank you.” Abraxas replied before serving himself a large portion. “You know, you look healthier all the time. Keep eating and sleeping, ‘Lura.” Abraxas joked, though he was genuinely glad that she was improving so quickly. Dobby had done an excellent job at feeding her properly, and it was apparent that she was at least sleeping enough for the dark circles under her eyes to fade with each passing day. 

“You do seem to be feeling much better lately. I’m sure you’ll be back to your old self in no time.” Antonius added and took a sip of his coffee. Allura only nodded, still as antisocial first thing in the morning as ever. Breakfast had been served early, since the men had to report to the office at seven o’clock, and she intended to go back to bed as soon as her meal was finished. She might not have gotten up for breakfast at all if Tom hadn’t promptly knocked on her door to insist that she eat. It was obvious how much her poor weight vexed him. She supposed it was because he knew starvation all too well, and didn’t care to be reminded of his days at the orphanage. 

“Finish your fruit and sausage as well, Allura.” Tom ordered when it looked like she had given up on breakfast. He also had a certain level of disdain for food being wasted, and he never failed to tell her she should finish her entire plate on the occasions that she wasn’t up to eating very much. She simply had to slow down and take ample time to clear her plate, at the very least, but she nearly always obeyed him when that particular issue arose. Satisfied when he saw Allura start slowly working on another strawberry, Tom turned back to his own plate and continued to make his way through his own plate.

“It’s going to be a busy day, boys. We have a tour of the entire ministry to get through with the other interns this morning, and your lessons will begin in the conference room promptly after lunch.” Antonius explained as he rose from the table to go collect his briefcase from his private study. “We’d best be off in the next fifteen minutes.” He added before exiting the dining room.

Abraxas quickly scarfed down the rest of his meal and followed Tom out to the entrance hall to wait for Mr. Malfoy.

“Good luck!” Lucinda called after the boys before opening the morning’s edition of the Daily Prophet.

The tour had been rather uneventful. Tom, Abraxas, and somewhere around one hundred other interns split into groups of ten and followed their assigned guide around the entire ministry. There were an awful lot of areas that they could not enter, so the tour mostly consisted of pointing out all of the rooms that were prohibited to interns. 

The tour ended in the dining facilities, and Tom was shocked to find that he and Abraxas both were already well-known among the staff. Truth be told, Mr. Malfoy was clearly one of the big-shots and had shared with several departments that his boys would begin their internships that summer. Tom thought it strange that he seemed to be regarded with equal status to Abraxas. Mr. Malfoy must have made a point to tell people that he was as good as his son and should be treated accordingly. In the lunch line, the ladies that worked behind the counter had served both boys bigger portions than what everyone else received. 

“It’s so nice to see you again, young Mr. Malfoy. I’ll bet you don’t remember me! You were just a little tike...you and your sister used to help me prepare sweets for your father’s afternoon tea!” An old, plump woman cried out and hugged Abraxas. 

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry I don’t recall your real name. Allura and I always called you Cookie.” Abraxas remembered, thinking back to how Mrs. Malfoy used to bring the twins to serve Mr. Malfoy afternoon tea in his office each day when they were toddlers.

“Cookie is still just fine, sir. I’m flattered that you remember me at all. I’ll see to it that you get your favorite cinnamon rolls at afternoon tea.” Cookie winked and gave Abraxas a toothy grin. 

“Thank you very much.” He thanked the woman with a gentle smile, impressed that she remembered his favorite treat. “Cookie, this is my friend from school, Tom Riddle. He’s staying with us for the summer. He’ll be working in my father’s office as well.”

“Well! Any member of Mr. Malfoy’s brood will be well tended here, I can assure you.” Cookie exclaimed as he shook Tom’s hand. “Any special treats you’d like for tea as well, dearie?”

“I’m sure whatever you send will be superb.” Tom replied and gave the old woman a charming grin before he and Abraxas took their trays and found a table to sit at. He hadn’t particularly wanted to divulge that he didn’t like sweets to the woman that was obviously in charge of making such confections. It would be unwise not to encourage such special treatment from the staff.

“I forgot all about her until just now. Nice lady, though.” Abraxas mused before taking a bite of his broccoli cheddar soup. 

“Does everyone around here like your father so well? It seems like he’s practically a celebrity among the staff.” Tom asked as he looked around and saw that several other cafeteria employees were smiling and waving at them both.

“You’d like him so much too if he was the only one that ever gave you a tip for a job well done. They don’t make very much money, you see. Whoever said money can’t buy happiness is full of dragon dung.” Abraxas replied.

“That’s awfully generous of your father.” Tom pointed out, finding that there was something amiss. The rich didn’t usually fraternize with the help, as far as Tom knew.

“Generosity has nothing to do with it. Father says the “little people” are the eyes and ears of any institution. Rubbing elbows with the people that everyone else fails to notice has served him well, I think. Cookie’s the one that passed on information to father that lead to the exposure of some big embezzlement scam in the treasury department fourteen years ago.” Abraxas whispered, divulging the truth behind the matter.

“Your father is a very smart man, indeed.” Tom whispered back, impressed that Mr. Malfoy had successfully ensured that he knew what was going on in the ministry without doing any of the ground work himself. 

“C-c-could I sit here, p-p-please?” A short, stocky boy with glasses asked meekly. The other tables had filled up rather quickly and there didn’t appear to be any seats elsewhere.

“Sure.” Abraxas said nonchalantly, paying no attention to the obviously nervous boy. 

“And who might you be?” Tom asked coolly as the boy sat down in the adjacent seat.

“H-Henry. Henry Pettigrew.” The boy stuttered, eyes darting back and forth between Abraxas and Tom.

“And which department will you be serving your internship in, Henry Pettigrew?” Tom asked, trying to keep his icy tone at bay. The boy was rather unassuming, and it seemed like he was probably bullied frequently. Tom decided to make small talk so he could discern if the boy would be worth his time or not.

“The Impro-pro-proper Use of M-Magic Depar-Depar-Departm-ent.” Henry replied before he began to spread butter on his dinner roll.

“I’ve seen you before. You’re in Hufflepuff.” Tom pointed out the fact, hoping to put the boy at ease just enough to hang around. That would be a useful department to have a minion in, given the nature of some of Tom’s forthcoming endeavors.

“Y-yeah. I kn-kn-ow you both from school t-t-t-too. Malfoy and R-Riddle, isn’t it?” The lump of a boy stuttered, hoping that he hadn’t made a mistake by sitting with two Slytherin students for lunch that day.

“Yes…” Abraxas replied, trying to figure out what Tom was playing at by talking with this kid.

“Well, you’re welcome to join us for lunch anytime.” Tom invited before finishing his soup. 

“Th-thanks, R-Riddle. I d-don’t have have have very m-m-many friends m-myself.” 

“I can see why.” Abraxas muttered under his breath, growing irritated very quickly with Henry’s speech impediment. He quickly stopped mumbling when he received a sharp kick from Tom under the table. 

Tom struggled not to roll his eyes when Henry spoke, but he did manage to remain polite and reasonably patient. He even went so far as to kick Abraxas once more for finishing Henry’s sentences because he had grown so agitated with the poor boy. 

“D-don’t wo-wo-wor-ry. I-i-it gets on m-my nerves t-t-t-oo.” Henry insisted when Tom had to openly tell Abraxas to stop being so rude about Henry’s stutter. “Th-thanks fo-fo-for trying to to to be p-patient, anyw-way.” He added to Abraxas, obviously feeling very embarrassed for irritating the blonde so badly.

“Don’t explain yourself to him, and there’s no need to excuse his poor manners. Abraxas simply needs to learn to be more patient.” Tom ordered, suggesting that Henry didn’t need to behave so apologetically to Abraxas. He would need more of a backbone if he was to learn how to fit into Tom’s ranks. The boys rose to return their now empty trays to the staff.

“I-I can t-t-take your-your-yours.” Henry offered and held his tray out so his companions could place their own trays on top.

“Thank you, Henry.” Tom said with a cold smile. “We’ll see you for lunch tomorrow, then?” He added in a tone that he meant to sound friendly as he and Abraxas stacked their trays.

“D-definitely!” Henry replied with a big smile as he left for the dish area.

“What the hell was that all about?” Abraxas muttered to Tom, having already grown tired of his friend’s charade.

“He can help us figure out how to do magic without setting off the trace, you idiot. See to it that you play nicely from now on.” Tom growled in a low tone as they made their way to the auror department for afternoon lessons.

“Well, Lucinda, our boys were a great success today as we both expected!” Antonius called out as he hung his jacket on a hook in the entryway. 

“Oh, I knew your first day would go well!” Lucinda squealed as she exited the sitting room to greet them. “I have Dobby preparing a special dinner for my working men tonight. Prime rib!” She added, kissing both Abraxas and Tom on the cheek. She flaunted her pride for the teenaged boys at every opportunity. It was as though she had two wonderful sons, not just one. 

“Thank you, mother.” Abraxas grumbled as he wiped her lipstick off of his own cheek. Tom followed suit, but did so more discreetly than Abraxas had so as to not seem rude.

“It really was wonderful, Mrs. Malfoy. Just this afternoon we started learning how to practice legilimency and occlumency.” Tom said with a smile, enjoying her excitement.

“You both will be exhausted tonight, you can be sure of that. It’s a rather tiring skill set if you’re not used to it.” Antonius interjected and clapped Abraxas on the back. 

“I don’t want either one of you to lift a finger tonight. It’s more important to be well-rested for tomorrow. I just sent Allura to lay out some more comfortable clothes on each of your beds.” Lucinda dismissed the boys before standing on tiptoe to give Antonius a kiss on the cheek as well.

“I might nap until dinner, actually. That legilimency nearly did me in.” Abraxas said with a yawn as he parted ways with Tom on the second floor of the house. Tom only nodded to indicate that he planned to do the same and headed for his own bedroom.

“Oh, hello Tom. I didn’t know you’d be back so early.” Allura had jumped when he entered his bedroom and she had been quick to explain herself. “I was just setting out some clothes for you to change into.”

As Allura turned to exit his chambers, Tom held out a hand to indicate that he wanted her to wait a moment. Allura paused and patiently waited for him to speak.

“I can’t hope to read on my own right now, my eyes are too tired from legilimency lessons. Would you be so kind?” He asked with a big yawn as he removed his shoes and plopped onto his bed.

“Which book would you like me to get?” Allura asked obediently, indicating her agreement to help.

“The Mind’s Eye. It’s on the desk.” Tom ordered before scooting over so she could sit on the bed next to him. 

“More legilimency and occlumency?” Allura asked, finding amusement in the fact that he intended to continue the very thing that had him feeling so exhausted that day.

“I am unsatisfied with how I did during lessons today.” Tom said simply, having been extremely annoyed that he hadn’t mastered either skill right away. He had a tendency to expect instant perfection, especially from himself.

“Tom, you can’t honestly think that you could master such complex spells in one afternoon. It took father weeks to get it right when he began training and he’s always had a natural talent for such things.” Allura explained with a soft smile. “At least take a break until dinner. If you want I’ll let you practice on me after we eat. That’ll be more helpful than reading.” She suggested and stayed in her place, silently refusing to retrieve the book so he could keep working.

“Fine.” Tom said with an indignant sigh and moved so he was laying down. “Read something else for me then.” Truth be told, the sound of Allura reading out loud had always been relaxing and that was the real reason that he made such a request in the first place. 

Allura retrieved a novel from Tom’s bookshelf and sat down next to him on the edge of the bed. As she began to read, he absent mindedly began to run his fingers along the end of Allura’s long braid, though she paid him no mind as he did so. Before long, Tom was fast asleep. When she was sure he wouldn’t wake, she quietly crept out of the room and closed the door behind her.

As dinner time approached, it became apparent that neither of the young men would make it downstairs to eat unless someone woke them up.

“Perhaps we should just have Dobby serve them in their rooms?” Allura suggested, knowing how hungry both Tom and Abraxas would be if they skipped dinner. 

“I think you’re right...go let him know to prepare trays for them, please.” Lucinda agreed with a nod. 

“Yes, mother.” Allura obeyed and made her way into the kitchen to give the elf his orders. 

“I don’t suppose you noticed that Allura has been spending a lot of time alone with Tom, have you? She spent most of the afternoon in his bedroom.” Antonius asked, unsure if he should be concerned about what the pair got up to in private.

“Oh, leave them be, Antonius. Tom is a good boy and I see no reason to concern ourselves with that. I’m certain that they just like to read together at this point. Although, I must confess that I hope they do decide to marry before next June. I’ll die happy if my grandchildren are of Slytherin’s bloodline.” Lucinda chided, expressing her trust for the two teenagers and hopes for their future together. 

“I know he’s a good boy, of course. But he’s still a boy Lucinda. I wouldn’t care to find that my daughter is pregnant out of wedlock in the future.” Antonius explained, knowing all too well that sometimes teenagers are run strictly by hormones.

“I don’t think either one of them would get into such trouble. You’re being silly, Antonius. They don’t even hold hands and flirt openly. It would be the first relationship for them both and when they get to that point I’m quite certain that they’ll take their time and behave appropriately, even without supervision.” Lucinda laughed in amusement at his suggestion. 

“Very well, I’ll leave it be. But see to it that Dobby alerts us of anything going on that might tarnish the family’s reputation.” Antonius consented with a sigh. 

“Of course, dear.” Lucinda agreed before taking her seat at the dining room table. She also silently resolved to plant a seed in Tom’s mind as soon as she had a chance to speak to him alone.

After dinner, Tom was glad Dobby had awoken him for his meal. He was still too tired to do very much work, so he abandoned the plan to practice legilimency on Allura for the evening. Instead, he opened Slytherin’s diary to continue researching any areas of interest contained in the entries, aside from the Chamber of Secrets. 

He had just begun to read entries about Isolt Sayre and the founding of Ilvermorny School in the U.S.A. when he came across a rather interesting entry about Salazar Slytherin’s wand. It was said that it had been inactivated and buried on the grounds of Ilvermorny in Massachussetts. It seemed fairly insignificant but Tom suspected that there was more to Slytherin’s wand than he knew at this point. Eagerly, Tom flipped the pages backwards in hope that he could find more information about the “unbeatable” Buckthorn Wand and the powers it possessed. Perhaps he could retrieve it someday and use it as his own. It would be a most useful tool considering his ambitions, and it seemed to be worth doing some further research on. 

Tom was completely exhausted by the weekend, and he deeply regretted agreeing to allowing Madame Maulkin to photograph him for her store catalogue. He wished he could spend his Saturday catching up on some much needed sleep instead. 

“It really doesn’t take very long, Tom. Just an hour or so should be all there is to it.” Allura consoled her friend, picking up on how sour his mood was. “My session will take much longer since I have more clothes to be photographed in.”

Tom only sighed in response as Madame Maulkin and her daughter finished setting up their “dressing room” in the sitting room.

“Your house is so beautiful, Mrs. Malfoy. I should have asked to do Allura’s shoots here years ago. I’d like to use the library and the back garden for most of the scenes, if you don’t mind.” Madame Maulkin gushed over the appearance of Malfoy Manor.

“Of course, Madame Maulkin. You may take photographs wherever you’d like. Shall we begin, then? Tom hasn’t modeled before and I insist that we start with Allura so he can watch and know what to expect when it’s his turn.” Mrs. Malfoy explained as she rolled Allura’s rack of clothes into the parlor. 

“Yes please.” Miss Maulkin agreed and entered the parlor with Allura to select her first outfit. 

Tom was rather bored with the whole thing, and there didn’t seem to be much to modelling at all. It appeared that all that was required was holding the pose that Madame Maulkin and Miss Maulkin arranged you in until the photograph was taken. Poor Allura had to have her hairstyle and makeup changed to suit each outfit, and he was glad that he wouldn’t have to worry about that at all.

Nearly four hours later, Allura’s set of photos for the autumn catalogue were finally finished, and they were developed rather quickly. 

“Beautiful, as always.” Madame Maulkin praised Allura as she inspected her photos. “All of the girls will want to buy these dresses so they can look just like you.” It was no secret that the garments Allura modelled were always the first to sell out in the shop once the season’s catalogue had been released each year. 

“You know, I think we should keep Allura in her last dress and put her in the scene for Tom’s first suit. His outfit is exactly what the young men will want to buy for a date with a beautiful girl.” Miss Maulkin mused, hoping that her mother would agree.

“I’d love to, Madame Maulkin.” Allura chimed in, liking the idea of having a photograph with her friend. It wasn’t often that either one of them would bother to take one, and it’d be a nice keepsake, at the very least.

“I don’t mind either.” Tom said with a shrug, just hoping to get the whole thing over with. He was happy to agree to pretty much anything as long as it would speed up the process. 

“It’s settled, then. Let’s have you two walk through the garden holding hands for this one.” Madame Maulkin consented and lead the group outside once Tom was dressed. The pair began walking hand-in-hand, but Tom had a rather sour look on his face in the very beginning.

“No, no, no, my dear boy. You’re supposed to be on a date with the girl of your dreams. Try to pretend accordingly!” Miss Maulkin scolded Tom and threw her hands in the air in frustration.

“Erm, Miss Maulkin? This is really awkward. Couldn’t you just let us set the scene ourselves? It’ll look more authentic if we just do our own thing.” Allura finally piped in when she also found it difficult to just stare at Tom and smile stupidly. 

“Oh, alright. Let’s give it a try, then.” 

“They’re going to follow us with the camera, but just forget about that alright? Don’t even pay attention to them.” Allura asked Tom and he nodded in response. Instead of holding hands she switched to holding his arm, just as they always walked. Perhaps talking while they walked together would deliver better results. So far Tom did feel much more comfortable than he did before.

“Father said that you’ve been doing exceptionally well at the ministry. How do you like it so far?” Allura asked, hoping that she could get Tom to crack a smile if they talked about something he enjoyed.

“It’s been wonderful. I haven’t quite mastered legilimency and occlumency yet but I have memorized the first set of laws that we were meant to learn. If I’m not mistaken we should be starting to train in more advanced duelling techniques next week.” Tom explained, glad that she wasn’t trying to force false romance for the sake of a photograph.

“Have you met Cookie yet? She absolutely adores Abraxas.” Allura asked, hoping to set Tom up for a laugh.

“I have. She mentioned that you and Abraxas used to help her prepare your father’s tea tray each day.” Tom replied and glanced over at Allura when she continued to speak.

“Oh, Abraxas lived for our time in the kitchen with Cookie. Do you know, he had a very active imagination back then. When we helped her bake he would speak in a girl’s voice and make us call him “Braxtina” because he insisted that cooking is only for ladies.” That did it. The thought of brawny Abraxas acting like a girl forced Tom to let out a genuine smile in his amused state. 

“Did he really?” Tom asked with a chuckle.

“No, but now you’re finished photographing your first ensemble.” Allura laughed and sauntered over to the camera to see how the photo turned out. 

“Oh, this is perfect! It’s like you were really telling Tom a funny story!” Miss Maulkin said in a most idiotic fashion as the photo became clear. There Tom and Allura were, enjoying a pleasant conversation as they strolled through the garden together. 

After the first photo was done Tom’s nerves stopped getting the better of him and it became easier to pose in the various outfits that he was asked to put on. He liked doing the school uniforms best because all he had to do was act like he was studying in the Malfoy’s library. 

“Thank you so much, dear. We’d had a horrible time finding a young man your age that would agree to model for our shop this year.” Madame Maulkin gushed as she collected all of the extra pictures to leave behind for the family. “You all may do as you like with the photos on this table. I’ve already got the one’s we’ll be using in an envelope.” 

Tom looked through the photos while the ladies talked on the other side of the room. Very discretely, Tom slipped one of Allura’s library scenes into his pocket. It was most like how she really was and it reminded him of how she would read out loud for him sometimes. It was silly but he thought that perhaps someday it would be all he had to remember her by. She was so innocent and sweet that he was quite certain that their friendship would come to an end and they would have to part ways eventually. At least he could look back at a time that he had been able to fit into her ordinary life when that day did come.

That night, Tom dreamed that he was back in the garden of the Fountain of Fair Fortune, but the scene was different. He was already at the stream that required a treasure of the past to cross. Allura stood, still with her feathery white wings, on the other side and beckoned him to cross so they could be together.

“I can’t. I’m sorry...but I just can’t give up my wand. I need it for something that’s much bigger than myself.” Tom said sadly and looked down. He wanted more than anything to join her, but he needed his power to be the savior that the wizarding world obviously needed.

“She could cross back to this side…” The gigantic worm called out as he squirmed past the stream and disappeared into the forest once more. 

Tom looked back to Allura, silently begging her to come back. 

“I won’t be the same as I am now on that side of the stream, Tom. I might become someone else entirely once I cross. Will you still have me then?” Allura asked, unsure that he would still want her if she changed. 

“I will.” Was all Tom could say. He instinctively knew what she would have to sacrifice to be with him, and he knew the misery her life would hold once she crossed the stream. Truth be told, Tom was selfish enough to let her ruin her own life for him. He just wanted her by his side always and that’s all that really mattered to him.

Allura said nothing, but pulled a garrote-like tool made of chains out of her dress pocket, as though she had been prepared to do this for him for quite some time. Tom watched as she wrapped the tool around the base of her left wing. Then, she yanked on the handles with all of her might and severed the feathered wing from her body with a scream of agony. Blood dripped from her back, and she looked as though she might pass out from the pain.

“Just one more, darling.” Tom encouraged her, knowing that there was nothing he could do to ease her pain. All he could do was see to it that she didn’t give up her angelic wings for nothing.

The second appendage seemed easier to cut off, though Allura struggled to stand after the deed was done. She dropped to her knees and pushed the blood stained wings into the stream as her sacrifice. With all of her strength gone, Allura fell into the stream and she could do nothing but hope that Tom would take hold of her hand and pull her out. 

Tom was shocked to find that he hesitated for a moment. He had done the girl a terrible disservice, and the merciful thing to do would be to just let her drown and find the only peace she could ever have again, death. This was his last chance to spare her from his own fate. But Tom’s self-centered nature won once again and he thrust his hand into the stream, reaching blindly for his sweet Allura’s hand so he might pull her into his waiting arms.

Tom awoke from the dream with a start, but was not afraid or unsettled this time. Instead, he made his decision with great conviction. He would not live without Allura, and that would be the end of that dilemma. He had spent months going back and forth between choosing to indulge his own desires and thinking of leaving her behind eventually for the sake of her well being, but no more. If he had to twist her up into someone she wasn’t so she could fit into his world, then so be it. In the darkness of the night, he began to plan how he would go about taking her for his own forevermore. Yes, he would drag her to Hell with him if he had to. But after thinking back to the other dreams he had about Allura, he had a premonition that she would follow him willingly.

The Devil’s Courtship was about to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **That's all, folks! See you in Part 2, The Devil's Courtship!**


End file.
